Hi!

To decide whether or not the patient should go for cardiac surgery is a bit difficult. A doctor should weigh what we gain and what we lose.

Because your mom has two leaky valves, signs of decompensated heart failure (fluids in her lungs), I also recommend for cardiac surgery.

Also keep in mind that all the procedures has some risks (cardiac surgery has a over all mortality around 10%) but if the operation go well than your mom will be quite normal.

If she doesn't perform the intervention the prognosis of the disease will be reserved (it will become worse more and more).

I hope i respond to your query.
Dr. Benard

Hello,

Thanks for posting,

Well, your questions maybe difficult to clearly answer given the delicacy of the situation, but I will be frank.
Given that she is actually presenting with such problems, I will personally suggest that a medical therapy should be attempted aimed at reducing fluid in lugns (pulmonary edema) and fluid retention in general. Treating the congestive heart failure with certain specific medications. Observe for proper clinical evolution. Then, if she evolves well, surgery can then be attempted to correct the valvulopathy (leaking valves).
It is obvious that a surgery in her situation is risky and she might end up passing during the surgery or after, but in any situation, without a surgical intervention, she will not still have a very long life ahead of her.
So, it is a surgery worth the risk and if it goes successful, I am pretty much sure she will have a couple more years in front of her even though there is no guarantee as to whether or not she will have a better functioning heart.
Do make sure that you discuss this with her doctor again and find out if there are other treatment options available order than a surgery.

Hope this helps