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Very helpful comments. I am in the same boat as azitavahid, 62 with 4.9cm. Very stable and slow growth over last 25 years. My surgeon wants to wait until 5.5 (I’m not tall) but says he will do it now if I want. Says I could get another on either side of the repair (I don’t understand that) which sounds very pessimistic based on my good overall health and very stable aneurysm over last 25 years. So, I’m feeling very anxious with my current condition and left feeling concerned about post surgery. Anyone ever been told anything like this? I was hoping to endure the surgery and finally have some peace…
Replies to "Very helpful comments. I am in the same boat as azitavahid, 62 with 4.9cm. Very stable..."
My cardiologist told me something similar, there is a chance, albeit small, that another aneurysm may form along the unrepaired part of the aorta. I have a bicuspid valve and that increases the probability of aneurysms (I also had one in my brain which he says highly likely was influenced by the valve, and family genetics). He is an excellent provider, I get an anual echocardiogarm to check my valve and the ascending part of the aorta, and every 3-4 years a complete body scan to make sure no other aneurysms are appearing. He also did a genetic profile (there have been other cases of aneurysms in my family) looking for known markers, he didn't find any so he suspects my family may have an unknown marker so he enrolled us in a study which won't directly help us but hopefully others. He also had my children fully checked to see if their valve was also bicuspid (negative for both) and whether they had signs of aneurysms (negative for both also)
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Take a garden hose with a leak in it. Fix the leak, and it could leak elsewhere along the hose.
My aorta blew out to 6.5cm and was replaced from the point of the graft to my heart up to the top of the aortic arch. For me there would only be one side where I could get another anuerysm since the other side of the repair is actually at my heart.
For you the surgeon could be saying they might remove the aneurysm and later another aneurysm could develop elsewhere on either side of that repair.
FYI my descending aortic dissection is managed to prevent anuerysms through medication. Should I develop another aneurysm then the remedy for me would be surgical intervention ie another surgery. Perhaps you also have medication to prevent or control any possible aneurysms?
Ask your surgeon for clarification.