5.8cm thoracic aorta aneurysm

@donbuc I had my 5.2 cm ascending aortic aneurysm and aortic valve repaired 7 months ago when I was 72. My health was probably not as good as yours since I have diabetes and take 7 different medications to try and keep my blood pressure under control. My surgery went well. I didn’t have any significant complications and I was out of the hospital in 5 days. The recovery at home did take a while and it was about 3 to 4 months before I was physically back to what I was before surgery. I do still have some tenderness at the bottom of my sternum but it does not prevent me from doing anything. My self diagnosis is that I did not suffer any cognitive decline 🙂. I can’t guarantee you will have the same outcome but since you are in excellent health and if you are diligent about following the instructions from the hospital after you get out your odds are good that you will be able to play tennis again.

@wtamminen
Hello Congratulations on your successful surgery for the ascending aortic aneurysm, May I ask,was the surgery open chest or Evar surgery through the groin? I have an ascending aortic aneurysm and will probably need surgery in the future. That is why I am asking. Thank you.

For the ascending aorta, the truth is that open-chest surgery remains the gold standard. EVAR and TEVAR through the groin are extraordinary tools, but they are designed for the descending thoracic or abdominal segments, not the ascending. The forces in the ascending aorta are different, the curvature is tighter, and the proximity to the valves and coronaries requires a level of precision that current endovascular technology cannot reliably provide. So when you hear about people being treated “through the groin,” that almost always means descending aorta, not ascending.

When the time comes for your operation, your surgeon will evaluate the size of your aneurysm, the rate of growth, the quality of the valve, and your overall anatomy. But for the ascending aorta, the operation is always an open heart repair, and I can tell you that people do incredibly well with it when it’s done electively before an emergency ever happens. I had a sudden aortic dissection in 2015, and I am alive to tell you about it, but most people are not. Just remember, don't take advice from someone who hasn't survived a dissection. Peace.

@rodneyrws I had open heart surgery which is the norm for ascending aortic aneurysms.

@wtamminen Congrats on a successful surgery. You are doing VERY well if you are back to what you did pre-surgery at 4 months post surgery! Keep it up as you will be amazed what you can do now. I am 1.5 years post surgery and doing anything I want to do. It is a very liberating feeling!

@mikeneverwired To be fair my pre surgery activities were not very stressful. They consisted of walking 2 to 3 miles, playing Bocce ball and reading. I could not have done anything that required heavy lifting or strenuous physical activity 4 months after surgery, but I probably could not have done those things before surgery either!