My mother in law is 86 years old, obese, not mobile, and had a stent 3 years ago. Now she is having difficulty breathing, has COPD, and heart palpitation. The doctor recommend replacing the valve to help her. How safe is this procedure and how long will it take to recovery. I am worried about her and also developing DVT
Hello dear, thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. I can understand your situation and problem. In old age with co morbid conditions like heart disease, COPD etc., possibility of DVT is very high. Valvular heart surgery at the age of 86 is itself very risky and complicated. So better to discuss in depth about post-operative care, risk benefit ratio and cost-effectiveness. If surgery improves the five-year survival rate and quality of life then go for surgery otherwise medical management is more suitable. So discuss all these with cardiac surgeon before surgery and then decide accordingly.