Newly Diagnosed: 4.9 cm ascending aortic looking for support

It is normal to be impacted by the news, we all have gone through the same feelings.

You are already seeing a surgeon and that’s absolutely your first step at 4.9, I would recommend you also find a cardiologist who is an expert in aortic diseases, the surgeon may be able to recommend one if you don’t have one already. Remember the surgeon will see you a couple of times after surgery, the cardiologist will follow up for life. That’s the kind of question I would ask, before and after surgery follow up.

Being in good physical health, non smoker, controlled BP, will help you go through this surgery uneventfully.

I had mine 5 years ago at 5.2cm, I was in very good health, non smoker ever, good cholesterol/no plaque, my surgeon gave me almost 100% probability of no issues and that’s how it went. I was back to work in 3 weeks.

Wish you all the best!!!

Thank you for the quick reply!
I’m stuck on the how did this happen, mainly because I’d like to avoid this happening again. I wonder if I’ll ever get an answer.

@lmcfarland I’m really glad you found your way here, and I understand exactly how stunned you’re feeling. I was in a very similar place in 2015. I had no warning signs that made sense in hindsight, no dramatic risk factors that explained it, and yet I ended up with a Type A aortic dissection that required emergency open-heart surgery and placement of a Dacron graft to replace my ascending aorta and arch. I would have given my left arm to have known that I needed surgery. You have been given the gift of a lifetime.

A 4.9 cm ascending aneurysm is not something to ignore, and it’s completely reasonable to be uncomfortable with a pure wait-and-see approach. The fact that you’re already scheduled to see a cardiothoracic surgeon is EXACTLY the right next step. That conversation matters more than any single measurement. Size is important, but so are growth rate, body size indexing, valve anatomy, aortic shape, and whether there are any subtle connective tissue features that don’t show up neatly on a checklist. It’s also very common for people with no smoking history, no hypertension, and no family history to end up here. Many ascending aneurysms are degenerative or idiopathic, meaning there is no clean explanation. That doesn’t mean you did anything wrong, and it doesn’t mean you missed something. Sometimes the scan that was done for “something else” is what saves your life by giving you time and options.

When you meet the surgeon, it’s reasonable to press on thresholds for intervention versus surveillance, how they think about indexing size to body surface area, what imaging interval they would recommend if you don’t operate now, and what activity restrictions are appropriate immediately. One thing I learned was that avoiding heavy straining, breath-holding, and Valsalva maneuvers is critical. That includes lifting, planking, grunting, certain gym movements, and even forceful twisting. These are mechanical stresses on the ascending aorta, not lifestyle morality tests. Stop doing them right now.

If surgery becomes the recommendation, it’s a big mental hurdle, but it is also a very well-traveled road when done electively. Emergency surgery saved my life, but elective surgery is a completely different experience with far better margins and outcomes. @houston13 knows. Knowing what you have, before my kind of catastrophe, is a powerful position to be in even though it doesn’t feel that way right now. You’re not overreacting, and you’re not alone. Many of us here were shocked, confused, and deeply uncomfortable with waiting, especially early on. Getting informed, staying engaged, and advocating for yourself with your surgical team is exactly what you should be doing. YOU'RE GOING TO BE FINE. You are on it and know what's ahead. Surgery is inevitable but your life will be saved and you will feel better. An enlarged aorta is actually very stressful on your heart and can slow you down and make you feel lethargic. You're going to be safe and hop back on here are after surgery and tell us how you're doing. I just celebrated my 10th anniversary post surgery and I feel great. Peace.

@moonboy you’re the best! I read your story earlier today and holy moly- what an experience you had! I’m glad you’re here and THANK YOU for your kind words and knowledge.
My family doc is one of the best. As soon as he got the information, he called me from home after hours to tell me. His words- “Thank God we found this” Next morning, his office had an appointment set up for me with a great surgeon who has done many of these procedures. I’ll still get a second opinion from U of M and go from there. I’d rather get it done and now that you’ve mentioned it, I have been feeling really run down for a while now. Thank you again!

U of Minnesota has the best imaging and they have a high volume aortic practice as I understand (20 cases a year). That's good. I'd much rather do the U of Minn instead of Rochester Mayo just because of proximity. Glad to help.

@moonboy- University of Michigan since I’m in metro Detroit. Also a high volume hospital. Thanks again!

@lmcfarland you will be in goods hands, my son is a wolverine!! Now in Med School in Texas

Got it. You're good to go in Ann Arbor! Go MICHIGAN!!!!

@houston13 go blue!

@lmcfarland How about a second opinion at the Cleveland Clinic? They do the highest volume of aortic graft surgeries per year.