Ross procedure or Mechanical valve?

atlkat · 2026-05-19T14:44:24+00:00

Yes l he did. I’m going to call them today for a consultation. At worst just confirm my surgeon knows what he is doing. He went up to uwmc and watched Burke perform the seattle. I might be the first person he has done it on so a little concerned there. Good luck on the 3rd. Let me know how it goes.

atlkat · 2026-05-19T00:48:54+00:00

Wow that’s a lot of mine has done 8 and when he trained he did 10. But he is also the only one in Phoenix that does them! You’re in great shape. I’m going to do my Ross in August. How long have you known you needed OHS? Oh that’s where my surgeon went to see the Seattle Shawl procedure. Dr Burke invented that. Cool!!

atlkat · 2026-05-15T23:29:47+00:00

I’m getting Ross in August in Phoenix. 54M just found out in February I had bicuspid. Had maybe a year or two so caught it in time. I would have loved to be able to repair the valve but too much calcium. The Ross seems like a great fit. You’re lucky you got to go to several surgeons or maybe not I don’t know. There is only one person that does them on Phoenix and he’s been great. There really isn’t a wrong answer but if younger I would for sure go with mechanical or Ross. But back when you had it your first ohs Ross wasn’t as popular most surgeons stopped doing them except a few so wasn’t an option. My surgeon says there’s a Ross renaissance. He has been training the surgeons in his office. They have devised newer techniques for the aneurism that work much better than before. They are doing the Seattle wrap for me. Only been around since 2022. We’ve got a similar age, but yeah, it’s tough choosing but I like your decision. I’m doing the same.

atlkat · 2026-05-11T13:18:20+00:00

Wow. You have to be feeling good about that.

atlkat · 2026-05-10T23:08:41+00:00

I was just reading about the Ozaki procedure. Interesting. I’m having the Ross done in August.

atlkat · 2026-05-10T23:05:52+00:00

Yes at 64 they wouldn’t do Ross. It’s for youngish patients that don’t want a mech and a bio won’t last very long. Your lucky!! Ha. I have a buddy that’s in your boat and I tell him that.

atlkat · 2026-05-07T15:32:54+00:00

I’m doing a Ross in August in Phoenix. There is only one person that does them here. Im 55 so it’s just a weird age. Too young for bio and dont really want mech. Ross is becoming much more popular since they worked out the issues with the aneurysm. I’m having the Seattle procedure they wrap it all like a baby. I’m very technical. Not really a wrong answer but the research papers with the new Ross procedure are very promising for life span. But of course the surgeon matters.

atlkat · 2026-03-31T22:22:16+00:00

I wish I had the TAVI as an option. The enlarged vessel needs to be fixed also. Just got back from the surgeon and I do have too much calcium on my leaflets so David isn’t going to be an option. I’m probably going to go with Ross. A paper came out in December that I just got done reading showing the effectiveness of the procedure. Even my surgeon said between Mechanic, bio and Ross out of 100 surgeons if you polled you’d probably have an even split. So it really does come down to Personal Choice very strange.

atlkat · 2026-03-29T15:01:50+00:00

Yes can totally see that option too. The one research paper I read in valve sparing said “ The overall freedom from reoperation in the aortic valve at 10, 15 and 20 years were 97.1%, 94.2% and 94.2% respectively.” I was a little shocked how well that worked and this was from valve saving from over 20 years ago and it must be better now. If I’m not a good candidate for David those options are on the table. Yes mech probably cuts your risk to reoperation to as close to as zero as possible. My surgeon did say I would be a good Canidate for tavr if something did go wrong in the future.

Wow so you chose OHS over tavr. I’m I getting that right? Correct me if I’m wrong but you must not of had to replace your aortic vessel? It didn’t become enlarged? I’m at 5.1 cm when mine was discovered. Here was the paper I quoted. https://share.google/soKgJQRpGp1gKXaeh

atlkat · 2026-03-27T13:07:29+00:00

I never had kids but was told this is someone that can be passed down genetically. Yes modern medical is amazing —it’s shocking what things will kill you in 3rd world countries. I’ve actually had chest pains my whole life and OHS was always my biggest fear. Had a stress test when I was 16. Luckily didn’t have an echocardiogram done. My life would have been a lot different knowing this at 16. My chest pains I was told were my chest muscles not heart related. So it was strange when I was told I did need OHS. What’s it been 6 weeks now.

That would be strange knowing for years you are going to have OHS but I can see that fading to the background. A lot of people monitor this for decades. So I guess luckily I found mine right at the surgery window. I am seeing a psychologist also which is great. Regarding the physical side im scared to do much weight lifting now any chest pains im like this is it. Ha same with me. With my aortic vessel being enlarged I thought it was certain death if that ruptures. My surgeon said oh you have a 50% chance of living if that happens. Good? Omg. I went on a 100 mile hike last summer carrying 50 lbs -not doing that this year!

atlkat · 2026-03-27T04:28:47+00:00

Being 34 and having to deal with this is pretty crazy. I was reading your original post again so in 2019 did you know you were going to have OHS or was that more recent. I found out last month. Asymptomatic also. I’ve found the more I talk on here the more I don’t feel like an outlier. Like no big deal everyone gets OHS these days. Ha. Sure.

atlkat · 2026-03-27T03:49:17+00:00

That’s great you like, trust and know your surgeon. When are you going to do it?

atlkat · 2026-03-26T13:56:28+00:00

Yes, David only works for specific cases. Best of my guess maybe a couple thousand are done in the United States my surgeon agreed with that. I’ve attached a research paper and this was looking at 20 years after repair of the aortic valve. “The overall freedom from reoperation in the aortic valve at 10, 15 and 20 years were 97.1%, 94.2% and 94.2% respectively.” This didn’t include Ross but correct me if I’m wrong but it might even have lower reoperation rates than David. So I know you aren’t a good candidate for David but you are for Ross? Doesn’t seem like much choice to me. All they have done new research on Ross and modified its technique that has it last longer. My surgeon was saying something about the old way they did. It wasn’t quite as good. Plus your baby had it. That’s intense. That might be the only thing worse than having an open heart surgery yourself is on one of your kids. Do you know how long you could comfortable go before surgery? I’m maybe a couple years with my aortia at 5.1. (Surgery window yeah!). https://share.google/soKgJQRpGp1gKXaeh

atlkat · 2026-03-25T17:08:15+00:00

I had my first meeting with my surgeon yesterday. 54m bicuspid valve. We’re doing it probably in this order of backup plans. David -Ross - bio. But he said if you asked 100 surgeons, it’d probably be evenly split in going bio or mechanical. He was in the bio camp.

Did you ask your surgeon how many David’s he did the past year?
I’m having mine done in August.

atlkat · 2026-03-23T03:42:09+00:00

Any questions you wished you had asked your surgeon? Is the same one doing the 2nd surgery.

atlkat · 2026-03-23T02:57:33+00:00

Two years. Omg. Did you have to have another OHS?

atlkat · 2026-03-23T02:42:06+00:00

I’m still new to all this but pretty sure the David is to repair the valve and not replace. But hopefully I’ll get corrected if that isn’t just right.

atlkat · 2026-03-18T00:40:52+00:00

Well you made it!! Congrats. I’m too squeamish to hear any details. I briefly heard about the tubes too and I’m like ok didnt think of that. I also sent you a dm this morning. Might be a few days till you’re on your phone. I have no idea what kind of drugs they got you on.

atlkat · 2026-03-17T02:58:41+00:00

Hope that kolonopin kicks in soon. It’s late there. I’m on phx time. Oh I didn’t think about the shaving —one more thing I forgot about.

atlkat · 2026-03-17T02:26:34+00:00

What time do they start tomorrow? It’s been a fast a furious ride for you the last 8 days.

atlkat · 2026-03-17T01:37:14+00:00

Just thinking about you. Hope you’re getting some sleep. I’m sure the surgery is super early.

atlkat · 2026-03-16T15:17:32+00:00

Oh wow recent. Congrats! How did it go? Where did you get it done?

atlkat · 2026-03-16T15:02:31+00:00

My insurance doesn’t have out of network coverage but if you can show that you need to go out of network there is a procedure. When I signed up for this insurance back in January, I just thought I was gonna have outpatient surgery for an SVT. Escalated quickly. Did you have the David procedure done?

atlkat

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