Hello,
I am 30 years old and just discovered that my small VSD is causing mild leakage in one of my heart valves (aortic regurgitation). My doctor is suggesting VSD closure before it can cause more problems in future.
I am really scared about surgery.. does anyone can share personal stories about how surgrey can impact my life?
im sure its ok and routine procedure, how was it diagnosed and wht your symptoms please
Small VSD was diagnosed at very early age but it was not closed because it was not causing any issues.
I do not have any symptoms but in my recent Echocardiogram test, doctors discovered AR Traces. Valve is having mild leakage.
all the best and all will be ok
I had a coarctation of aorta repaired when I was a child. Open heart surgery. I also have a bicuspid aortic valve which may need repairing later on. I have dilated cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation and am waiting for a catheter ablation which is done with wires in the groin or wrist.
What you have in laymans terms is a hole in the heart or hole in the septum in the hearts lower chambers.
It depends on the procedure they are going to use. The Amplatzer Septal Occluder would involver inserting wires into your femeral vein and closing the defect with a type of implant. This is relatively minor with slight risk of embolism (clot) they will give you anticoagulants. Within 6 months normal tissue grows over the device.
The other way is open heart surgery which involves making an incision in your chest, stopping your heart and putting you on a heart lung machine and repairing the defect with either sutures or some type of patch either made from dacron (pet plastic) or gore-rex or bovine pericardium (cow graft). Within 6 months normal tissue grows over the graft.
These procedures are routine and you will be asleep or heavily sedated for the former procedure. Your circulation will become normal and if your heart is enlarged it will return to normal size.
You will be given pain medication or drugs to reduce anxiety. You will be given instructions on caring for your wound which mostly means keeping it dry and changing dressing. You should return to normal withing a few week and have a normal life with normal outlook once everything has healed up.
Good luck John you are only 30 and have your whole life ahead of you.
Thanks a lot Walter. I hope it goes smoothly. It's just scary to imagine all this happening to my body while I am alive.
Dear John, how did it turn out?