About Me (In My Own Words)
When my younger daughter was 4 years old, her primary doctor heard a faint clicking sound in her heart at a well-child visit. She got an echo and we found out that she had a bicuspid aortic valve and several other heart defects. She is now 17 and has always been asymptomatic and no surgery has been warranted. About 7 years ago, my daughter's cardiologist suggested that I get screened for a bicuspid valve, given that it is a congenital defect.
When I got scanned, they found a bicuspid aortic valve, an aortic root aneurysm, an ascending aortic aneurysm, and left iliac artery aneurysm. I was asymptomatic, but this year the aortic root aneurysm diameter reached the point where surgery was recommended -- and they would also do the valve at the same time. I had open heart surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital on April 29, 2019.
Besides trying to get my head around open heart surgery, I wrestled quite a bit with the choice between a mechanical and a tissue valve if the surgeon could not repair my aortic valve. I am 56 and decided to go with a tissue valve as a contingency plan, hoping for more common TAVR procedures when it needed replacement. Ultimately the surgeon was able to successfully repair my valve, so no replacement at this time!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Portland, Maine
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My surgery date is:
April 29, 2019
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I was diagnosed with:
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Aortic Aneurysm
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Repair
Aortic Aneurysm Replacement
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Thor Sundt
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My hospital is:
Massachusetts General Hospital
