Introduction:

This website is dedicated to those individuals who have received the alarming diagnosis of heart valve disease and the signs and symptoms of endocarditis and the importance of early detection. Use this site as a guide to educate yourself and identify ways you can remain healthy and avoid unnecessary and preventable risks during your treatment.

Education

One of the most important strategies is education. It is imperative to know what questions to ask and understand the risks and benefits of each treatment option. Learn all you can about your condition and make sure you acquire the most experienced cardiologist and cardiac surgeon. Sometimes overlooked but just as important, is to research the hospital and be aware of their infection control techniques and high risk procedures utilized during your hospitalization.

Have an Advocate

When asked, doctors and nurses both agreed one of the initial considerations to be made before undergoing surgery is to have a health care advocate.

Diagnosis

When heart valve disease is initially diagnosed and isn’t causing symptoms or damage to the heart muscle’s contracting function, your doctor may want to take a “wait and see” approach. However, he will probably continue to closely monitor your condition making sure there is no worsening of symptoms or the heart muscle’s contracting function.

Initially depending on your condition, your doctor may recommend treatment with medication. If after treatment consisting of only medication does not control the progression of your disease, your doctor may recommend other treatment options.

Depending on the nature of progression, your doctor may suggest two basic options: valve repair or valve replacement surgery.

The Choice

If your course of treatment involves valve replacement surgery you will be faced with three more choices: a mechanical valve, a heterograft (porcine or bovine pericardial tissue) and a human heart valve allograft, (donated cadaver tissue). In concert with your physician you will explore each valve option based on your age, anticoagulant therapy issues, lifestyle, and long term durability.

The human heart valve option

With advances in medical science and cell biology the use of donated cadaver tissue is becoming more widespread. With this increase, problems surrounding the tissue industry have started to emerge. This website will concentrate on the human heart valve allograft option for valve replacement

The disturbing death of a Minnesota man who died after receiving donated tissue in 2001 launched a Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) investigation which revealed dozens of serious infections surrounding the use of donated tissue. During the investigation, troubling issues surrounding the lack of regulations implemented by the Food and Drug Association, (FDA) was launched into the forefront. Also alarming, the investigation revealed several tissue processors who were not processing tissue within industry standards. Once again education is the key. It is important to know the source of the tissue which will enable a patient to research the company.

Although the tissue is aseptically processed (the use of a sterile technique) the heart valve allograft is not sterile and it is important for a patient to understand the risks involved in the use of a non-sterile product in their health care decision.

The risks and benefits involving the ever changing world of medical technology and the importance of being fully informed of all your health care options, has never been more important.

Get to the heart of the matter—you have the right to know.