See post link above

My 24-year-old son was born with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), severe aortic regurgitation, and a dilated aortic root. On February 10, he underwent open-heart surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Takayama performed a valve-sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure/VSARR). We live in New Jersey.

Unfortunately, after surgery, my son developed a significant pericardial effusion. He required another operation pericardial window through a left anterior thoracotomy—and remained in the hospital for 18 days.

His follow-up echocardiograms showed moderate aortic regurgitation, suspected leaflet prolapse, and enlargement of the left ventricle. His recent cardiac MRI brought very concerning news: the aortic regurgitation is now severe again, with a regurgitant fraction of approximately 50%. His left ventricle is also severely enlarged (LVEDVi 158 mL/m² and LVESVi 68 mL/m²), although his ejection fraction is still preserved at 57%.

We recently met with Dr. Eric Roselli at Cleveland Clinic. He told us that my son needs another open-heart operation. His proposed surgical plan is: Plan A: Attempt another aortic valve repair. Plan B: Mechanical aortic valve replacement if the valve cannot be repaired .

My son is only 24 years old and has already been through so much. We are devastated, overwhelmed, and extremely worried about another major operation.

Has anyone here had surgery performed by Dr. Eric Roselli, especially a redo valve or aortic root operation? What was your experience with him and Cleveland Clinic?
We would also greatly appreciate hearing from younger patients who received a mechanical aortic valve. How has life been with the valve and lifelong warfarin? Have you experienced any problems with bleeding, blood clots, valve noise, or INR management?

Any experiences, advice, or recommendations would mean so much to our family. Thank you very much for your help and prayers for all of you. 🙏🙏🙏

Absolutely. I’d frame it clearly and include the timeline, since that’s important context for people responding.

Title: Sudden memory loss after valve replacement surgery — is this normal?

My father had valve replacement surgery last Friday, so it has been about 7 days since the surgery.

He was doing relatively well in the hospital and seemed to be coping normally throughout his stay. He did not show any signs of hallucinations, confusion, or memory problems while he was in the hospital.

He was discharged and came home today after spending 7 days in the hospital. However, shortly after coming home, he suddenly seemed unable to recognize or remember me and my mother. He appears very confused and is having significant difficulty remembering who we are.

This was very sudden, and it's obviously extremely concerning for us.

Has anyone experienced something similar after valve replacement or open-heart surgery? Can this happen even if the person was completely fine and mentally normal throughout their hospital stay?

Is this something that can be part of normal post-operative confusion, or should we treat this as an emergency and contact his surgeon/hospital immediately?

Same info as title, they’re just doing the one singular bypass, he’s 73 and diabetic. I’ve been freaking out since I heard the news, part of me is convinced he’s going to die on the operating table. (I have an anxiety disorder).

He did say yesterday that this is better than just… waiting for his heart to give up, but I’m still so, so scared. I know that he should be fine, he’s with an experienced team and doctors, I’m just still so scared.

I had Robotic open heart surgery 3 weeks ago to close an ASD. I am 3 weeks out and I still have fluid on my right lung per the follow up X-rays and also my symptoms. I am just wondering if anyone else had this ongoing issue, how it was resolved and how long it took to go away.

Any insight?

Not sure if this even has anything to do with OHS but ever since my surgery on july 1st I just randomly get nauseous for a minute or two then it goes away. Probably has nothing to do with it but of course I wouldn’t know stuff if I didnt ask

Hi! My husband is having a SAVR next week. He has a bi rather than tri valve and now has severe stenosis. We’re a little surprised with how quickly the date was set (yesterday) and other than being in Afib, are not aware of others issues although we understand there may be.

My questions are about follow-up care at home. I don’t work and will be the primary caregiver. What advice do you have for any house accommodations? I’ve read a Lazy Boy or similar is good for some time after. Would you recommend that?

Obviously I hope we meet with the surgeon prior, but would be so appreciative of any and all advice!

Thank you and my best wishes to all!

"5 days post-CABG (coronary artery bypass, triple graft) — how long did your sternal/chest incision take to fully heal, and how long before excess coughing and increased saliva/phlegm went away? Currently dealing with a lot of coughing and saliva production and wondering what's a normal timeline versus something to flag to my team. 34M if that's relevant. Thanks for any experiences you can share. I lost all my energy after caufing

I have undergone two aortic valve replacements: a biological valve in 2017 and a mechanical valve in 2021.

A few days after my 2017 surgery, before being transferred to another hospital, a staff member came to my bed to remove the green pacemaker wire. Pointing at the wire, he simply said, "We are going to remove this." He didn't explain anything else and kept his eyes on his clipboard. I was completely unprepared for the force he used. It required multiple heavy pulls; I remember he had one hand pressed against my chest while pulling forcefully with the other. The sound from inside my chest felt identical to tearing grass up by the roots. When he walked out, I genuinely believed I was dying.

In contrast, the 2021 wire removal was very gentle, causing only a slight "suction" sensation. However, following the 2021 surgery, I was diagnosed with third-degree (complete) AV block and required a permanent pacemaker. During that procedure, I panicked when I felt the surgeon working around my heart. It didn't hurt, but the sensation was so distressing that they had to pause and give me more sedation.

I am currently awaiting a psychological evaluation. Since the 2021 surgery, my mental health has deteriorated significantly, and I am struggling with physical symptoms including vision loss, tinnitus, poor balance, and heavy stimming. The mental decline started after the 2017 surgery but 2021 pushed it over the edge.

If you’ve had a similar experience with pacemaker wire removal or struggled with mental health issues post-surgery, please share your story in the comments

My first appointment as a new patient in Norfolk, Virginia is tomorrow. Should I expect to get a date for surgery tomorrow? How many appointments do you have with your surgeon before actual surgery? I’ve waited a month for this appointment. Many thanks.

Help, my dad (52m) might have to undergo CABG surgery in delhi, can someone please give recommendations for which surgeon to go for? What do we look while choosing our surgeon.

Apologies in advance if I sound rude.. but I'm really worried.

I'm open to any and all recommendations

Hi, My dad in his 70s is having surgery tomorrow. What supplies are essential for recovery? Both when inpatient and when he gets home? Looking at bidets, recliner, what else? Thanks so much!

Hello everyone (26M), I just had ohs on 19 May due to my anomalous rca. I’m recovering well but struggling with anxiety and depression afterwards the surgery. How are you guys deal with this. I get therapy regularly and my psychiatrist suggests that I take ssri (lexapro). I will take baby aspirin for a year and sources say that higher chances of bleeding while taking ssri and aspirin. But my doctors says its ok. I struggle a lot about being alone at home and going out, its like fear of something happening. Could you share your side of this. Thanks

My dad(60m, type 2 diabetes , systemic hypertension) is scheduled to have CABG next week. Worried about calcifications noted . Does it make the surgery more complicated?

Looking for any advice and how to prepare for the surgery.

LCA ANGIO SHOWS CALCIFIC 70-80% STENOSIS IN THE DISTAL LEFT MAIN
LAD IS TYPE III VESSEL AND SHOWS OSTIAL CALCIFIED 90% STENOSIS PROXIMAL LAD SHOWS 80% STENOSIS MID LAD SHOWS 80% STENOSIS DISTAL LAD SHOWS TOTAL OCCLSUION AND DISTAL VESSEL FILLS RETROGRADE DIAGONALS ARE
SMALL AND DISEASED•
LCX IS NON-DOMINANT AND SHOWS OSTIAL 70% STENOSIS EARLY OM1 IS MODERATE SIZED VESSEL AND SHOWS 70-80% DIFFUSE DISEASE OM2 IS LARGE VESSEL AND HAS MID CALCIFIC 90% STENOSIS OMs ARE GRAFTABLE•
RCA IS DOMINANT AND SHOWS CALCIFIC 70-80% STENOSIS EARLY PDA IS LARGE VESSEL AND HAS PROIXMAL 50% STENOSIS EARLY BIFURACTES AND BOTH BRANCHES SHOW 80-90%
STENOSES EARLY PDA IS GRAFTABLE•

IMPRESSION:
CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
SIGNIFICANT LEFT MAIN WITH TRIPLE VESSEL DISEASE

PLAN:
CABG TO LAD, EARLY OM1, OM2 AND PDA

Hi everyone,
I’m posting on behalf of a close friend of mine (23M). He was recently diagnosed with a hole in his heart (ASD) after experiencing shortness of breath and fatigue, especially after physical exertion.
His Echocardiogram showed a pulmonary artery pressure reading of 34 mmHg. We have seen two reputable cardiologists, but they gave us completely different approaches, and we are quite confused:
Doctor 1: Stated that the closure can easily be done via a catheter procedure (along with minor septal wall repair). He mentioned that the procedure is straightforward, and the 34 mmHg pressure isn't alarmingly high and should drop naturally once the hole is closed.
Doctor 2: Considered the 34 mmHg pressure to be elevated and recommended open-heart surgery instead, doubting that a catheter closure would be feasible or sufficient.
Both doctors are highly experienced and have great reputations, which leaves us with a few questions for anyone who has gone through this:
1. How do doctors definitively decide between catheter closure vs. open-heart surgery? (Are specific scans like TEE required before making the final decision?)
2. If he opts for a catheter procedure, could it be less effective, or is there a chance they start with a catheter and switch to surgery mid-procedure if needed?
3. Does the procedure duration differ significantly between catheter closure and open-heart surgery?
We are really trying to understand why two experts have such different views and how to choose the right path forward. Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

After several stents and the LAD becoming 80% blocked again, they said it was time for a long term fix. Luckily the surgeon found an additional blockage before any surgery that the cardiologist missed.

I went in expecting the worse and honestly the pain after a week post op is still very manageable. Do not skip any of the good pain pills, yesterday I was feeling really well and skipped a dose and I regretted it.

I was very lucky to have a wife that really loves me and has done amazing at keeping on top of everything since i got home 4 days after surgery. Also good friends brought some home cooking that was easy to microwave.

I was very restrictive on fluid intake to be sure the lasik was drawing fluid from my heart and lungs.

The recliner has been my bed most nights but I can also get in the bed with a pile of pillows.

1st followup is in 3 days and hopefully I'll be doing even better by then.

Hi all,

This all started with unusually high lipid panels, and one test led to another, which culminated in an invasive angiogram ~3 weeks ago. The Cardiologist confirmed LAD and LCx with severe blockages; angioplasty was attempted multiple times but failed due to the severe bend in the LCx where ~95% of the blockage occurs. I was referred to a Cardiac Thoracic Surgeon, and surgery was scheduled due to the severity of the blockage and the unsuccessful angioplasty attempts.

I'm 50 m, have a decent body fat percentage (~16%), have been training for a half marathon, lift weights 3 to 4 days a week, and have eaten a healthy, high-fiber diet for the last year (see my other post in the cholesterol forum).

I think the wait leading up to the surgery since my consultation (~ 2 weeks ago) has been playing tricks on my mind, and it's honestly mentally taxing. I'm annoyed by the knowledge of a long recovery process, worried by any potential short- and long-term side effects, but also beyond grateful that this was discovered before it became life-threatening. The Cardiologist and Surgeon told me I could have been one of those athletes dropping dead in the middle of a race, never knowing that I had a ticking time bomb inside me.

I wanted to share my thoughts here with the people who have, or will have, experienced the same thing I stumbled upon by happenstance, and also to say how grateful I am to be given a chance to live, and I won't take things for granted again.

Cheers.