It looks like there are a few kinds/causes of these - it sounds like some of them would need a specialist to follow up- depending on location of the thrill. I haven't seen that term mentioned here before.

You should remember that some surgeons automatically think surgery before therapy.

I'd definitely get some other opinions before jumping into surgery with the first one to notice this.

He didn't say it was an immediate life or death thing did he?
You probably have had it for awhile.
I'd do some searches on it and see what else you find for info.

[thrill (thril) a vibration felt by the examiner on palpation.
diastolic thrill one felt over the precordium during ventricular diastole in advanced aortic insufficiency.
hydatid thrill one sometimes felt on percussing over a hydatid cyst.
presystolic thrill one felt just before the systole over the apex of the heart.
systolic thrill one felt over the precordium during systole in aortic stenosis, pulmonary stenosis, and ventricular septal defect.
]
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/thrill

and more-
http://www.google.com/search?q=thril...w=1360&bih=636