suzuki mechanical valve

[mamoojr]

Hello there,
Just found this site so thought I'd pose a question. Anyone out there have a suzuki mechanical valve?
I have had one for 32+ years. Had surgery at St, Vincent Charity hospital, Cleveland Ohio in June of 1973. Dr. Earl Kay was the surgeon and DR. Zimmerman on the heart lung machine.
Just wondering if anyone had heard of this type of valve & their experience with it. Had mitral commissuratomy in 1970, got pregnant 6 months later and after the replacement was told no more pregnancies because of all the risks involved.
Been on coumadin all these years with very few problems.
Thanks.

[Curtsmum]

sorry can't help with your question but just wanted to say :) hello and welcome, this is a brilliant site, i dont know if anybody has the same valve as you but im sure they will be along soon,even if they dont.

[hensylee]

suzuki? Well, that's interesting. Must be a good valve if you've had it all these years. I have been on their cycle, but a heart valve? Wow, that's news.

[Ross]

Non-tilting disk Kay-Suzuki? First I've heard of it, but perhaps RCB has some information?

[Marty]

Non-tilting disk Kay-Suzuki? First I've heard of it, but perhaps RCB has some information?
Earle Kay was one of the grat pioneer heart surgeons. I found an article he published about the aortic valve in 1962. The second author was Akio Suzuki MD They worked at St. Vincents. Is it still there or has it been taken over by Cleveland Clinic?

[Ross]

It's still there, but I don't know the status of ownership. I presume still a separate entity.

http://www.u-s-hospitals.com/hospitals/124895.htm

[gijanet]

Do you have to have an operator's license for it??? :D

Welcome to the group. Many hugs. J.

[RCB]

"Hello there,
Just found this site so thought I'd pose a question. Anyone out there have a suzuki mechanical valve?
I have had one for 32+ years. Had surgery at St, Vincent Charity hospital, Cleveland Ohio in June of 1973. Dr. Earl Kay was the surgeon and DR. Zimmerman on the heart lung machine.
Just wondering if anyone had heard of this type of valve & their experience with it. Had mitral commissuratomy in 1970, got pregnant 6 months later and after the replacement was told no more pregnancies because of all the risks involved.
Been on coumadin all these years with very few problems"


It is great to see another one of Dr. Kay's successes on this website.

The Kay-Suzuki valve developed during the mid-60s to solve some of the flow problem presented by the Starr-Edwards and early Harkin valve. It was very much like the Kay-Shiley and Harkin disc valve:

http://members.evansville.net/ict/p...magegallery.htm

Some valves of this type had problems of wear on the disc edge and disc escape. I think you are living proof of its durability. This type of valve had a short period of popularity because of the superior flow characteristics of the Bjork-Shiley and St. Judes model valves.

St. Vincent is still there, although the heart program is a quite modest now.
They have jointed University Hospital Health Systems and have a relationship with Case medical school. More about that here:

http://www.svch.net/about.asp

They do remember the Kay-Zimmerman team:

http://www.svch.net/press_111104_stluke.asp

[mamoojr]

sorry can't help with your question but just wanted to say :) hello and welcome, this is a brilliant site, i dont know if anybody has the same valve as you but im sure they will be along soon,even if they dont.

Thanks, so glad I found it & now can share with others.
Karen

[mamoojr]

suzuki? Well, that's interesting. Must be a good valve if you've had it all these years. I have been on their cycle, but a heart valve? Wow, that's news.

It's worked great for me so I'm ral happy about it.

karen

[mamoojr]

Do you have to have an operator's license for it??? :D

Welcome to the group. Many hugs. J.

it came with the valve-no expiration date either & doesn't have to be renewed! hehe