Actually, it can be redone once with the current technology (twice if the first is a partial replacement.) That means, were it to be done now, it would buy you 30-40 years of relief. And 30 years out, who knows what they will be able to do. 30 years ago, a friend of mine was told his heart bypasses would buy him 20 years. At about 25 years, they started to fail. He said, "Well, I'd better get my will in oder." The doctor said: "Why? I can redo the bypasses now. We're able to do a lot more than we used to!"

My doctor was giving me that song and dance (and I was 61) and I asked him "Just how much longer do you expect me to live?"

I finally told him: "Someone is about to do this surgery on me, and I'd really prefer that it be you."

He put me on the schedule.