u/One-Championship1195

I need a mitral valve replacement. At this time, I am planning to travel to a specialized heart institute in a major city about four hours from home because I feel very confident in the surgeon and facility there. At the same time, I wonder whether my local surgeons and hospital systems may be capable of handling the surgery as well.

I’m concerned about the recovery logistics — specifically, how soon after MVR people were able to tolerate travel such as a 4+ hour car ride home.

For those who chose a hospital outside their own city, how did you decide, and how difficult was the travel after surgery?