Post-Op
(Page 6)
The Surgeon Follow-Up
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
(81 days after surgery)
Today I met with Dr. Poostizadeh, the cardiac surgeon who performed my operation 2 1/2 months ago. The hour-long conversation included a discussion of my recovery and current state of health. But the more interesting topic we addressed was regarding Warfarin, INR, and my On-X valve.
During the past several months I found confusing information about mechanical valves and what the INR range should be. In many cases, all mechanical valves were treated the same, calling for an INR range of 2.5 to 3.5. But after discussing this inconsistency with Dr. Poostizadeh, I was told to keep it in the 2.0 to 3.0 range, as recommended by the American Heart Association.
Unlike patients with Mitral Prosthetic Valves whose range should be between 2.5 to 3.5, the On-X valve had many advantages over other aortic mechanical valves. It was quieter due to its stream-line design and flap angle travel, and required much less anticoagulants because it’s composition was pure carbon with a surface coating that greatly reduced the potential of clot formation in turbulent areas.
Studies running for years in Europe and Thailand showed the On-X valve not only performing well with minimal blood thinners (in some cases as low as 1.0 to 1.5 INR), but in time the need for anticoagulants could be eliminated completely. In North America such studies were still in their infancy, Dr. Poostizadeh said, but the results looked promising.
He also recommended I visit the Aortic Disease Clinic, a new entity formed in January of 2010. Their responsibility was monitoring the progress and wellbeing of patients with aortic diseases such as dilated ascending aorta and graft repair, like mine. He was to write a letter to the clinic to schedule an appointment in the next couple of months for a CT Echo Scan as a follow-up.