Doris Schröder-Köpf knows the whole of Germany, especially as the Ex-wife of Ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Today, the former journalist and mother of three adult children, the SPD’s Deputy in lower Saxony’s state Parliament and state Commissioner for Migration and participation. Your personal happiness she has found with the interior Minister of lower Saxony, Boris Pistorius,.
the petite politician has your 57. Birthday celebrated (5. August), and in the most “Colorful” of a hard health beat told. At the beginning of the year, she underwent a thorough examination by a cardiologist from a serious heart disease, which untreated, leads to a limited life expectancy. The Doctors had diagnosed as a calcified heart valve, called aortic stenosis, she explains in the Interview.
Now a major Operation was imminent, your open heart, which fill them with fear. An aunt had died in this OP – the same age as you, yourself, told Schröder-Köpf on the sheet. You have, therefore, regulated for all cases, some things, especially a new Testament for your children placed.
heart valve replacement open-heart
At the time of surgery at the Medical University of Hannover, is replaced by the calcified and in the foreseeable future useless aortic valve with an artificial valve. Here, the chest is separated leg, the heart is temporarily shut down, and by a heart-lung machine is replaced.
FOCUS Online asked Professor Friedhelm Beyersdorf, Medical Director of the clinic for heart and vascular surgery at the University heart center Freiburg, why heart valves calcify, what happens in the case of the OP, and whether there are any gentler methods.
Defects in heart valves include to diseases of the coronary arteries to diseases are the second most common heart. Most commonly, the aortic valve is affected. Heart valve surgery each year, approximately 35,000 Times.
The aortic valve, which is actually tissue is a delicate structure made of flexible binding, calcified. “It’s like porcelain, and when the normal opening area of 2.5 square centimeters shrinks to under a square inch, replace the valve,” says the heart surgeon, who is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the German heart Foundation.
heart disease without known risk factors
For aortic valve stenosis, there are no risk factors, except that the amount of scale increases in the higher age. “In addition, around 5 percent of the population have only two instead of three bag, then the flap is calcified faster.” Whether this is also the case of Doris Schröder-Köpf, the case is not known. It’s a Declaration would have to be operated on, why the stenosis. Actually, she is 57 a little young for it.
heart are exposed flaps of a large mechanical load. With 60 – to 90 contractions per Minute, the heart pumps around 100,000 times per day, approximately 70 milliliters of blood into the circulation of the people. It can lead to calcifications and deposits.
the flap of A narrowed heart, too little blood to pass through. The heart muscle must pump harder to transport the blood through the body. He is overused, the heart muscle thickens. Shortness of breath and Angina Pectoris are the consequences. In the case of a narrowing of the aortic valve, or heart pain, dizziness and fainting can occur.
There are no drugs against Defects of the heart valves. Doctors can only alleviate the dysfunction as a result of defective Valves with medication. Many heart valve defects can now be repaired. In the case of the aortic valve stenosis is not possible. The flap must be replaced by an artificial one.
- More on the topic of heart OP: Doctors from Münster, as you patient a new heart valve
As a valve replacement mechanical and biological Valves are available
The so-called mechanical Valves are very stable, keep for a lifetime. However, they favor the formation of clots. “The Patient must take life-long blood thinner marcumar,” says Friedhelm Beyersdorf as a disadvantage of this Flap.
The biological heart valves are made of Bovine pericardial tissue, it is also more durable than the earlier Material used by pigs. No blood thinners are necessary, but the biological Valves have a limited lifespan of around 10 years. “The best heart valves made from organic Material are today, however, even after 15 years, 85 to 90 percent intact,” says the heart surgeon. “Nevertheless, for patients under 60 years of age more mechanical valve replacement, aged 60, 65 and also biological Valves.”
the Flaps can be Used either via a catheter or open-heart. Both methods are used depending on the half. And both methods have advantages and disadvantages, wherein, for the heart classical heart surgery surgeon the first choice.
minimally invasive SURGERY is better for old and weak patients
“The minimally invasive SURGERY through a small incision in the groin and through the artery guided instruments sounds, of course, seductive. And maybe it will one day replace the classic OP. But today, there are still some risks.“ Beyersdorf identifies three potential problems with the valves set by catheter:
- The sick flap is just pushed to the side, not removed. This the new flap, then closes it on the edge may not be completely.
- Through the catheter, it is possible to introduce only a very thin flap that unfolds on the ground. The durability may be low.
- After this SURGERY, patients are more likely to need a pacemaker.
The heart surgeon sees the gentler and shorter catheter-OP as the best choice for elderly patients, which is a classic OP can physically be expected to.
open-heart SURGERY is currently the best long-term result
For patients who are under 75, which, in addition to the aortic valve is defective, nothing is missing, pointing the open Operation is the best long-term results. The multi-hour SURGERY under General anesthesia with opening of the chest, exposing the heart, cut Out the diseased valve, as well as using the heart-lung machine, to scare all patients, the expert said. However, the discomfort and pain after the procedure low. “Almost all the patients can move fast and pain-free, so that one has to remind you sometimes to give your chest some time for healing,” says the experienced heart surgeon. After a night in intensive care and eight days in the hospital, the Surgery would then be in the rehab or home.
“If the patients have no other health problems, you can flap with a new aortic re-do everything as before”, says Friedhelm Beyersdorf. “You don’t have to live in the gentle cycle and have a normal life expectancy.”
a virologist Streeck: “I can’t recognize that we are in a 2. Shaft are” FOCUS Online/Wochit virologist Streeck: “I can’t recognize that we are in a 2. Shaft”
