Deciding on the correct valve for me

When replacing an Aortic Valve, doctors have a few choices of which valve to put into their patient.  Basically, the two groups of valves to choose from are tissue valves and mechanical valves.


Image result for Tissue valve vs mechanical valve aorta
A tissue valve compared to a mechanical valve.
Tissue Valves are usually taken from pigs or cows .  They are a great option because they do not require the patient to be on  an anti-coagulant but he negative side is that they only last 10-15years before they would need to be replaced.  This means the patient would need open-hear surgery multiple times.

Mechanical Valves are popular due to the fact that they last forever, so there should not be a need for further open-heart surgeries.  The negative to receiving a mechanical valve is that the patient will need to be on an anticoagulant, most commonly Coumadin, for the remainder of their life.  This prevents their body from clotting to valve that it views as a "foreign object."

So my decision...

After thinking about this decision for over 15 years, I decided to go with a mechanical heart valve.  It was strange to walk into my cardiac surgeon's office and have him ask me what type of valve I thought would be best.  Of course, he is an expert on each type of valve, but to have the decision in my hands was both empowering and completely scary.

Specifically, the type of mechanical valve I chose is called the Onx Valve. This is a newer mechanical valve that requires a lower level of Coumadin in order to keep my body happy.  This decision was a tough one, but ultimately, I am afraid of open-heart surgery.  I figure that if I can get one done in my life, that is plenty.  If I were to get a tissue valve, I would be setting myself up for multiple trips to the operating room.

The Onx Valve, of course, is not the right option for everyone.  I hope that this is my best option to return to my active lifestyle with as little restriction as possible.

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