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ascending aortic aneurysm 4.9 to 5.0 cm

Posted by LJ Efird III @lje3ks, 17 hours ago

I am relatively small statute male at 5'3" with degenerative lumbar. I had a quad-bypass in 2015. My weight is 160 lbs. BP normal with meds. I also have chronic bronchitis. At 79 years old, do I check enough boxes to hope I get 5-10 years with intervention or rupture?

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bitsygirl | @bitsygirl | 12 hours ago

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can tell you, not even your doctor, though his/her guess will be worlds better than anyone on this message board. (I'm assuming you meant "without" rupture or intervention.)

There is data out there on risk of dissection/rupture versus aneurysm diameter. Your doctor should be able to give you that population-level data, FWIW. Medicine doesn't have a way to predict that for any individual yet. WRT growth rate, I believe that is non-linear and equally hard to predict. Scaled for your height, I'd guess some doctors might consider a repair now. Some doctors wait for 5.5cm. There is also population level data on growth rates.

So your doctor can give you real data on your odds. Whether they would stick their neck out and try to make a guess based on their experience probably depends on the doctor. It's a conversation worth having.

Having lived with an aneurysm and high CAC for a few years now, one question I'd ask myself is how would the answer change what I do?

I hope it goes well for you.

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LJ Efird III | @lje3ks | 7 hours ago
In reply to @bitsygirl "Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can tell you, not even your doctor, though his/her guess will..." + (show)
Profile picture for bitsygirl @bitsygirl

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can tell you, not even your doctor, though his/her guess will be worlds better than anyone on this message board. (I'm assuming you meant "without" rupture or intervention.)

There is data out there on risk of dissection/rupture versus aneurysm diameter. Your doctor should be able to give you that population-level data, FWIW. Medicine doesn't have a way to predict that for any individual yet. WRT growth rate, I believe that is non-linear and equally hard to predict. Scaled for your height, I'd guess some doctors might consider a repair now. Some doctors wait for 5.5cm. There is also population level data on growth rates.

So your doctor can give you real data on your odds. Whether they would stick their neck out and try to make a guess based on their experience probably depends on the doctor. It's a conversation worth having.

Having lived with an aneurysm and high CAC for a few years now, one question I'd ask myself is how would the answer change what I do?

I hope it goes well for you.

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@bitsygirl Thanks, you are absolutely correct in your assessment. Bypass surgery was due to high CAC, and not everything was fixed in 6 hours. The question I posed is almost rhetorical but not cynical. I am early in the process after 6 months and 2 measurements for a new issue, plus the old ones.

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