And its always valuable to frame up discussion in terms of how much risk is acceptable. But I recognize that not all cardiologists or heart surgeons would agree. Questions currently remain about how long such repairs will last and whether patients might require re-operation at some point in the future. Also is it possible to never need surgery to replace the valve and that the AR stays stable, or even goes away ? We just dont know. Finally, many patients are able to return to their sports after successful operation. I was only diagnosed with BAV after a routine examination and only because my company has increased in size above a threshold at which all employees are supposed to be subjected to this examination (weird law in Belgium). My last CT scan in November showed a change from 4.3 (May) to 4.5 (November) however I was only given these results yesterday. ( I was much worse though). Celebrities with congenital heart disease Details Published: January 27 2016 . On Aug 30, 2017 I passed out at the gym and subsequently airlifted due a large abscess and valve dehisence and underwent another operation and now have a homograft. Catch up on the years best movies, whether in theaters or now streaming at home. Ive recently joined the gym to get fit an toned up but I cant get a clear answer from the cardiologist of what weights I cant actually do at the gym. Aortic stenosis has been reported to occur in as many as 72 percent of adults with a congenital bicuspid aortic valve, with peak incidence occurring in the 5th and 6th decades of life. It might be wise to have discussion with your doctor about the particular activities youre concerned about. To me, cardiologists are not sports people and air on being absolutely over cautious. Moderately dilated aortic root (max 46mm), mild ascending aortic dilatation. I understand that we are only beginning to learn about the use of ARBs in patients who DO NOT have connective tissue disorders like Marfans syndrome. Pathology. Like you point out, its always wise to be vigilant after surgery for things that might be amiss.and get checked out. March 6, 2023, Erin Feaker Fast forward, he is now 13 and we went yesterday for his yearly. No LV chamber chamber dialiation, normal LV wall thickness, good LC systolic function, No regional LV wall motion abnormality. When first diagnosed with BAV I just nodded and smiled it was only the following day that reality hit home and I thought of all of the questions that I would have liked to have asked the cardiologist! I had my AVR almost one year ago. Something they suspect is also from birth but never previously picked up. The flaps are called cusps. Congenital heart issues affect approximately 40,000 people born each year in the U.S. and are one of the most common types of birth defects. This is amplified when I sit with my feet up (male cross-legged) because of the tingling/numbness in feet. Normal function of cardiac valves Even if its one person I help. PS: I noticed that the option Notify me of follow-up comments by email doesnt seem to work. Thank you for the follow-up! Perhaps other readers will comment. The tragic event's silver lining was that it caused Latifah, 46, and her mother, 67, to bond. Athletes will ask when they can return to their sports. I wouldnt be happy just running I want to be the best that I can be at it. If 5% of them dissect, this means 313,914 people. I had multiple re-hospitalizations but seemed to recover. Like you mention, one theory is related to the aortic blood flow. The CVTI is waging war against the leading cause of death among American men and women - heart disease. 2020 Update: Arnold Gets An Aortic Valve Re-Replacement! She is afraid, I can understand that. After an echo and an MRI with and without contrast, I found out that I have a BAV with mild aortic and pulmonic valve regurgitation. In practice, the indications for aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis or severe aortic regurgitation are straightforward and uncontroversial. Not sure I have something specific to suggest for additional reading.and I dont know where to steer you about a knowledgeable trainer in the UK. It is very informative. Yes, there are many athlete patients whove had operation for BAV/aortic replacement and returned to a variety of sports. Can you clarify what may not be true please? The incidence of normally functioning bicuspid aortic valves is 0.6% to 0.9%.5 . After 5 years of amateur competitive rowing, I had no problems keeping up with my peers whilst training at lower intensities. And any valve substitute (with valve replacement) is clearly not as efficienteven if the substitute is better than a diseased valve. Functionally bicuspid aortic valve (type 1). Every 6 months it is getting larger. Up until this time shes played volleyball, basketball and has even run track in elementary. 1. No one loves life more than I do, read the statement. Very likely an operation will be needed at some point in the future. He would be devastated to never be able to play again. Thank you very much for your thoughtful response. I have also had a stress test, which showed no issues at all. Enjoy! Dr. Larry, very helpful content. Would you recommend taking beta-blockers at this stage? Open heart surgery is sometimes the best option, but it is not always the only option. Doing nothing wont be great for my heart and wont extend my life neither probably.. 2012; 109:1632-1636. Can you please shed some light on this is the sport performance supposed to gradually diminish (seems to go to zero for me) before the operation is needed? What should I do ? To continue to live this amazing life so full of challenges and friends, including so many of you in the audience, I have chosen to replace the valve with a new one. Although bicuspid . Thanks so much Benefits: long-term durability. I suspect it had been leaking for a long time, as I felt no different; however, my recovery from long runs took longer than in the past (old age?). The valve can gradually become harder to open or leakier . It is unclear however if there are cardio thoracic surgeons who perform minimally evasive repairs yet. She partnered with the American Heart Association to encourage others to get CPR training that could potentially be life-saving. I hadnt heard about the technique previously. The other theory is that there is a structural problem that leaves the aortic wall weak. Down side: must take blood thinners to prevent blood clots from forming on mechanical valve. We are wondering is there a science to knowing when he should have the surgery? Palace Insiders Say Prince William Is Already Furious About Prince Harrys Memoir Leaks, Prince Harry alleges Prince William attacked him over Meghan Markle in a new excerpt from, Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, Rupert Murdoch Knees Trump in the Balls While Hes Doubled Over Coughing Up Blood, By BG017/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images. Obviously, I underwent emergency surgery to replace the aortic valve (Medtronic open pivot mechanical valve) and have the aneurysm repaired with a dacron graft. 7373 Perkins Rd The rest of the aorta is normal (visualized to just above the bifurcation in the abdomen). Im due to have an exercise tolerance test soon, but from my dealings so far Ive lost faith in the level of competence of my current cardiologist. In addition to the European guidelines, there is also an American set of guidelines published in the Proceedings of the 36th Bethesda Conference. In this case, would it be an overwhelming pain? The BAV is monitored annually, the doctor told me that Im currently in the grey zone but stable since I started the monitoring. But thats just anecdote. . Prescriptions for safe exercise will need to be carefully tailored to your particulars. I have been given no restriction to date in any physical exercise as my valve is in decent condition. Is that far fetched? When the aorta is enlarged in the setting of BAV, there are a couple possibilities: the valve needs to be replacedor it doesnt: Valve repair. I certainly know runners, cyclists, and triathletes in that circumstance who are active and doing well. Dietz?) Thanks a lot for your answers. Good to hear that youre doing well. I am young with many years ahead, I dont want to accept this just yet when I know theyre is possibilty of repair. Only two cusps, commissures and sinuses are seen in the less common "pure" bicuspid aortic valve subtype. The doc says the big risk is due to the blood thinners. Monica Lewinsky: 25 Randoms on the 25th Anniversary of the Bill Clinton Calamity. I too would be interested in talking off-line about what I have experienced or finding docs who have studied more extensively at fine-tuning high performance engines. I used to do quite some running 10 years ago (still at amateur level), I was doing lots of 10k and 20k and even I managed a marathon in 3h:26min (but at that time I didnt know about the BAV). I was shocked. Tetyana. He posed next to statues of Thomas Jefferson, Jesse Owens (whose family moved to Cleveland when he was nine, and who later attended The Ohio State University), and Abraham Lincoln. Many thanks. Diagnosed at 5 with BAV, checked yearly, and okayed to play soccer. Finding this site is such a relief / source of hope for me thanks so much Dr. Larry!. Thanks. Be specific. I think we would expect less enlargement over time with stopping strenuous exercise. I found myself in emergency surgery 12 months ago with 50% leakage, an enlarged heart and an ejection fraction of 30. Obviously, mild to moderate would be somewhere in between. Dr. Creswell, Should I increase amount of weight? I would think that moderate would be a good term for 8-12 rep range, pullups (unassisted), and pushups. With aortic root 39mm. Your doctor will be in the best position to know all of the relevant information and offer sound advice. OPTIMUM HEALTH, INC I think you understand the guidelines correctly. I was having chest pain and flew to Thailand to see what the issues were and they found I had GERD and Esophagitis. Replacement is much, much more common. If the conflicting opinions both come from cardiologists, you should ask them to confer with each other and arrive at some sort of consensus. I have repeatedly asked each follow up, if continued marathon training is OK. Im always told it is fine with the old adage of listening to your body. In some cases, bicuspid aortic valve causes another condition called aortic valve stenosis. Robin Williams - Aortic Valve Replacement & Mitral Valve Repair. I dont think theres a way to predict the future in this circumstance. As Schwarzenegger previously had two cardiac procedures, it is possible that Arnold may have received aTAVR using a Valve-in-Valve approach to replace his failing aortic tissue valve that was implanted in 1997. Or, is it something that can wait until they get sports physicals in their teens? PS I am really interested to know if HIIT is too intense a system of exercise for people with BAV. Advances in treatment have allowed many babies with known congenital heart disease to survive well into adulthoodand many people who have congenital heart disease go on to live long, productive lives. Im 53. Guidelines specifically for athletes come from the Proceedings of the 36th Bethesda Conference in 2005. Perhaps the doctor could contact the specialist and request an earlier appointment, if that made sense. Aortic Stenosis A bicuspid aortic valve is a common cardiovascular condition, affecting about 1% of the general population. Frankly Im worrying quite a bit about thisand I feel like its causing additional chest pain and shoulder pain. Also, my next appointment is, unfortunately the week after my next marathon (which I will be pacing and not racing). View HelpingHeartsCharitys profile on Facebook, View @HelpingHeartsMDs profile on Twitter, View HelpingHeartsCharityMDs profile on Instagram. Call 911. with valve area of 1.4 cm2 and aorta of 4.1 cms Lynn. Im not a nurse or anyone who can help in any real way, she told PEOPLE, fighting back tears. Dear Doctor, Weve known the risks and my daughter has done well to avoid scrapping for the ball etc. I would not want yo distinguish between the various forms of static exercise that you mention. Would this have any affect on any of the results of the tests I have done (Echo, EKG, Chest Xray)? Do you think the jiu-jitsu (e.g. I cant imagine life without CrossFit, but I wont be able to continue will I? After the first month, patients are generally allowed to return gradually to all of their previous activities. My daughter (16 y/o) has a St Jude mechanical mitral valve (adult size valve even though she has had it for 7 years). I guess my marathon training is officially over, but i hope that i still keep doing some sport and i dont mean bowling, no offense for who practice it ;). I was diagnosed age 4 and am now 35. Arnold Schwarzenegger Helped Greta Thunberg Get a Tesla, Where to Watch the Biggest 2023 Awards Contenders. From afar, its hard to know what might be responsible for your symptoms. The recovery from heart surgery can be hard to predict for any given patient, but we know that young otherwise healthy patients tend to do well. To save nice heart the best would be doing nothing (! I did run 1-2 times/week for a 1.5 months now, the situation is getting a little better but still I feel like a 80 years old. I cant wait to be back, completely rested with my heart recharged, my passion for the work ahead purposeful and my joy at lifes pleasures high," the statement continued. Enlarged lv 37/58 mm rf 65 fs 36 I see in this blog that Dr. C noted: Compared to our own native valve, all of the available prosthetic substitutes have a small degree of aortic stenosis built in, unfortunately. For his second operation, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was 70 years old at the time of this operation, had a pulmonary valve replacement procedure performed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. But for those WITH such problems, we do recommend curtailing either static or dynamic activities, or both. So, my question then is really, what should I look out for? The more common form of bicuspid aortic valve occurs in a valve with three cusps with . I do think that this condition can weigh heavily on patients minds, though, and in your case perhaps particularly so because of the experience of your mother. Last week, the CBS This Morning anchor announced via his co-anchors Gayle King and Norah ODonnell that he would be taking a break from the show to undergo heart surgery. I seen my cardiologist yesterday and this is the first year in 4 years that the aneurysm hasnt grown a mm. I am 18 years old . My son is 12 years old. I was born with a BAV and but I didnt notice performance issues until the Summer of 2016, so I brought myself to the doctor. Any person in my family there was no problem with the heart. They all cause a small bit of obstruction to blood flow as it leaves the heart. Normal biventricular size and function, no scar. Please refer to this article if not: https://academic.oup.com/ejcts/article/50/3/400/2197426. Im hoping you can help with some guidance. Crossref Medline Google Scholar. John Ritter - Actor - passed away due to undiagnosed CHD at age 55. FAMILIAR FACES WITH CHD'S - Helping Hearts As I train triathlon I check my heart every year and there is small back flow (the same last 5 years). I have question about your opinion about aortic valve regurgitation (no BAV) Ever since undergoing open heart surgery in 2010 for her surprise diagnosis of heart disease, Jones has worked as a national ambassador for the American Heart Association to raise awareness.