Samidh Singh - Heart Valve Journal

My Journal

188 days ago

Hello everyone,

I'm exactly 2 weeks away from a surgery to repair my bicuspid aortic valve to fix the associated aortic regurgitation. The surgery was ...Read more

Hello everyone,

I'm exactly 2 weeks away from a surgery to repair my bicuspid aortic valve to fix the associated aortic regurgitation. The surgery was triggered because I have developed symptoms and regurgitation was graded as severe in the echo.

But a pre-surgery cardiac MRI has graded the regurgitation as moderate (regurgitant fraction is 23% which is just over mild-moderate boundary). I have a positive view of getting a surgery now to fix the regurgitation, but that may be because I have little appreciation of issues that may arise after surgery.

If you had a surgery to repair/replace aortic valve, how do you view getting it earlier than later?

Thank you!

Rose Madura There are a lot of variables such as age, overall health etc. I would think that an MRI would be more ... Read more

Rose Madura There are a lot of variables such as age, overall health etc. I would think that an MRI would be more accurate than an echo since the echo relies a lot in the technician. What is your cardiologist thinking? You should also get a second opinion from a while different group as well.

Valerie Allen Hi! I guess the other consideration is to be sure your health care insurance covers it if it is just ... Read more

Valerie Allen Hi! I guess the other consideration is to be sure your health care insurance covers it if it is just mild-moderate.

Suelynn Hanegraaf For my two aortic valve replacements (2011 and 2024), my cardiologists waited to encourage me to make ... Read more

Suelynn Hanegraaf For my two aortic valve replacements (2011 and 2024), my cardiologists waited to encourage me to make appts with cardiovascular surgeons until my echo showed early in the severe range. Both times when I was told my valve was now severe, I just went ahead and made appts with two different cardiovascular surgeons (two different hospital affiliations). The “thinking” of both of my surgeons was not to wait to do the replacement too far after entering the severe range. For example, I was diagnosed in October 2023 with severe aortic stenosis and then after additional testing (CT scan of my heart, angiogram), my valve re-replacement surgery was 6 months later. But everyone is unique!

Kimberly Eisenhut I also think a second opinion is in order. Echo is not enough to schedule a surgery. I have had so m... Read more

Kimberly Eisenhut I also think a second opinion is in order. Echo is not enough to schedule a surgery. I have had so many echos in my life, and it really does matter who performs it and who reads it. My cardiac specialist looks at them herself and measures herself every time, just to clarify and be sure readings are accurate. Please ask for other tests and try a second opinion before going into surgery. Best of luck, and keep us posted