Tadeo's Journal

STEPHEN MORRIS  It obviously is a personal choice. Sometimes the surgeon can only do mechanical. My initial surgeon was giving me a choice, yet he only did mechanical valves. I didn't like that. I was going to choose tissue valve. Obviously,  mechanical lasts longer...but nowadays they can do valves through the groin.

Tadeo Bolinas  Base on the study, tissue valve last longer in an elderly patients >65 years old due to the level of their activity, on the other hand, it will not last longer in an active person like me who runs in a marathon play tennis and pickleball. But the sad part is the full sterotomy and a warfarin therapy for life. Thanks stephen. 

Klara Čičić  Dear Tadeo it is always such a hard decision with no right anwser. You just have to do what your heart tells you. Looks like you thought this through. I was only 4 months on warfarin and I can tell you it was not as big of a deal at all. That is what most people here will also tell you. You get used to it with time... Best of luck! 

STEPHEN MORRIS  Well. I am a firefighter..play hockey 3 times a week..I had tissue, my choice..because I am active...even an internal bleed, with blood thinners, isn't good.

Rose Madura  Hi Tadeo. The choice is very difficult but... whatever valve you choose, go for it and don't look back or second guess yourself because it is the right choice for you. I chose tissue at age 59.  Godspeed. And please keep us posted.

Robert Miller  A tissue valve will last about 12 years or so. Some report 7 years, others more than 15 years. In younger patients they supposedly go bad quicker. Once that time comes, they often can put a valve over the existing valve. That is done through the groin. So in average you should be good for some 14 - 30 years with one open heart surgery. If that valve-over-valve fails you probably (based on today's capabilities) you will need another open heart surgery. So you will be anywhere between 65 and 80+ when that happens. A mechanical valve would probably last you for your entire life, i.e. no second valve through the groin and no other open heart surgery. But you have the disadvantage of the 'ticking heart' (I am told most people don't even hear it anymore after a few months, your brain kind of blends it out) and having to take Warfarin (according to today's stand). You also will have to keep your INR level somewhat constant but it really shouldn't be a big issue unless you are someone that doesn't care after surgery and just ignores checking it. At 60+ it's a relatively easy decision but at 51 it's a lot harder. As for the valves, I was told the mechanical St. Jude valve has one of the longest, good track records. For tissue valves I was told a cow valve tends to last longer than a pig valve.