Aortic Aneurysms – Introduce yourself & meet others

Posted by Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator @kanaazpereira, Feb 16, 2018

Welcome to the Aortic Aneurysms group on Mayo Clinic Connect.

An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of the aorta. The aorta begins deep in the heart as it emerges from the powerful left ventricle, gently arching over the heart, descending into the chest, and finally into the abdomen. Some aortic aneurysms can be harmless; others can lead to catastrophic problems. I invite you to follow this group and connect with others, share experiences, exchange useful information, and learn about aortic aneurysms.

Get started rby clicking the +FOLLOW icon on the group page here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/aneurysms/

There are some great conversations going on right now that I think you’ll like. Grab a cup of tea, or beverage of your choice, and lets chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aortic Aneurysms Support Group.

victoria7 | @victoria7 | Feb 6 3:40pm

Thank you for this forum. Are we all Mayo patients?

olegas | @olegas | Feb 3 3:38pm

I have a 4.5 Abdomen Aortic Aneurysm plus been diagnosed with COPD. And I have been given a stent in the upper aorta of the heart. The local surgeon in New Zealand has told me that he will not operate.
Question: Have any of the beautiful people here flown in a commercial airline with an AAA?

moonboy | @moonboy | Feb 2 3:19pm

Hi there amjoy. Welcome to the group. A couple of important framing points first. A single measurement from 2013 is not a reliable way to understand what is going on in 2026. Ascending aortic size can remain stable for years, or it can change, but you can’t assume either without current imaging. Before making long-term activity decisions, it would be reasonable to get updated imaging so you and your cardiologist know where things actually stand now.

At 4.2 cm, assuming that number is still accurate, this is something to monitor rather than panic about. It is not an emergency size, and many people live at that range for long periods with appropriate follow-up and sensible activity choices.The exercise guidance you were given—avoid straining and heavy lifting—is standard. The issue is not normal movement, it is spikes in blood pressure caused by breath-holding and pushing through effort. Lunges and squats are not automatically off-limits, but they can become problematic if they involve heavy resistance, deep strain, or holding your breath.

Physical therapists often become very conservative once they hear “thoracic aortic aneurysm,” sometimes to a fault. That does not mean you must stop strengthening entirely. Many people with TAAs continue modified squats, sit-to-stands, shallow lunges, and other lower-body work using light effort, slow controlled motion, and continuous breathing. Walking is excellent for aortic health. Gentle strengthening, balance work, and rehab-focused exercises after a knee replacement are usually appropriate with modifications rather than a hard stop.

One practical step is to ask your cardiologist for clear exercise parameters or written guidance that your PT can follow. That often helps avoid unnecessary restrictions while still keeping you safe. I’m not a doctor, but I am someone who survived a Type A aortic dissection in 2015 and learned firsthand that smart movement and good information matter. Updated data plus tailored guidance will give you a much clearer path forward. Peace.

amjoy | @amjoy | Feb 2 2:39pm

Hi I am a 72 yr old woman joining this group to learn more about TAA’s. New cardiologist indicates 4.2 cm ascending aortic dilation found in a routine screening July 2013 as a TAA. He has recommended no straining and lifting along with healthy diet and walking for exercise. Having just replaced left knee in August, I have been doing lunges and squats I haven’t been able to do for years and now I won’t be able to do these anymore per PT ??

davej | @davej | Feb 1 6:20am

In reply to @breick "Hi everyone, I am a retired science/health teacher, age 69, female, 5'11, 225#. I was diagnosed..." + (show)

@breick

Hi everyone,
I am a retired science/health teacher, age 69, female, 5'11, 225#.

I was diagnosed with a 4.6cm ascending aortic aneurysm in 2016 and have been monitoring it yearly since then. (It is interesting how the measurement can vary by facility/equipment/radiologist. I have been measured as low as 4.3 and as high as 5.3.) I went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in October and met with a cardiologist in their Aortic Clinic. After all the tests, the latest measurement is 5.3 at the root and 4.2 ascending. My aortic valve has moderate regurgitation, most likely from the dilated aortic root pulling on it. This alone is probably not enough for surgery. But, I also have 8 points on the Ghent scale for Marfan Syndrome, even though I don't have a known genetic mutation for Marfan. There is a familial link as my brother had a similar aortic graft, then TAVR in TAVR, and pacemaker. All these things together make me a candidate for surgery at this time.

My surgery is scheduled for April at the Mayo Clinic. The plan is to replace the aortic valve with a tissue valve and a Dacron graft from the root up to the arch. I am comfortable with the idea of surgery, especially when the alternative might be a possible dissection. I know it is better to do this at age 69 rather than 5 or 10 years from now. I am somewhat concerned about the recovery: cardiopulmonary bypass dementia, sternotomy pain, movement in daily life with a sternotomy, recovery time, etc. (I'm one of those people who needs to be prepared for anything, and if it doesn't happen, great.)

My local cardiologists added Amlodipine and increased my Metoprolol prior to the upcoming surgery.
So, for the next 75 days, I will be learning as much as I can, losing weight, walking, and managing stress. The stress part is hard as I am also helping to care for my Mom (91) and Dad (96) who have health issues.

Five generations of my family have been Mayo patients. I know the expertise and care there are world-class.

Any information and advice are welcome. Thank you.

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@breick hi my name is Dave I just wanted to make a comment on the sternum repair for me and some others I talked to about it the experience was not as bad as I had envisioned it to be. Yes when you cough or the hiccups hold the heart pillow it helps alot, my mind made it worse that it really was. Good Luck Dave

tomcgauley | @tomcgauley | Jan 31 12:12pm

In reply to @pittsburghdad "Joan, Not in your situation, however, a possible thought for you. As you note, normally repairs..." + (show)

@pittsburghdad good to know of an option.

pittsburghdad | @pittsburghdad | Jan 30 8:35am

Joan,
Not in your situation, however, a possible thought for you. As you note, normally repairs in the ascending aorta need to be done using an open heart procedure. Given your situation, I am wondering if you might qualify for the ARISE II national clinical trial that is testing a new ascending aorta stent for patients who would not survive an open procedure. That would be a minimally invasive procedure, rather than an open heart procedure. I know of at least one such surgery at Stanford last year and the Cleveland Clinic I believe has been recruiting eligible patients for the clinical trial at 27 sites around the country. Might be worth discussing with your doctor. See links below.
https://med.stanford.edu/ctsurgery/about-the-department/news/2025/first-endovascular-ascending-aorta-stent-graft-in-western-us.html
https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/arise-ii-underway-to-evaluate-ascending-aorta-stent-graft-for-endovascular-repair

langford41 | @langford41 | Jan 29 5:01pm

Hello my name is Joan,ihave a 59mmaortic arch aneurysm,it was found five years ago and is now 59mm. The doctors told me my BP must be kept low,anything below 120/80 is a must, I have had. manny tests but unfortunately I am unable to have an operation because of other health issues and I would not survive a 12 hour operation.As you can imagine I get very scared sometimes. I just wonder if anyone else is like me.

moonboy | @moonboy | Jan 29 2:03pm

You're going to be fine. Knowing what you're facing, allows you to plan and to really have good care in place. This is not the kind of surgery you wanna have in an emergency – believe me I know it is really hard to survive when it happens emergently so I'm so thankful that you're here and I'm so thankful that you know that you've got an issue so that you can deal with it. Peace.

teresalee | @teresalee | Jan 29 1:24pm

In reply to @moonboy "Hi Teresa! First, take a breath. What you are feeling is completely understandable, and nothing about..." + (show)

@moonboy

Hi Teresa! First, take a breath. What you are feeling is completely understandable, and nothing about your reaction means you missed something or should have known more. You were told pieces of information over time without the full picture being put together for you, and that is disorienting for anyone. You did exactly what a thoughtful patient does. You listened to your doctors, followed up, went to your appointments, and when something didn’t make sense, you went looking for reliable information. Finding Mayo Clinic and learning the word aneurysm on your own is not a failure on your part—it is a gap in communication that happens far too often with aortic patients.

A 47 mm thoracic aortic aneurysm in the setting of a bicuspid valve is something that absolutely deserves close monitoring, and your concern about the growth rate is reasonable. The stress you’re feeling often comes less from the number itself and more from not knowing what it means for your future, your safety, and your day-to-day life. Uncertainty is the hardest part. Your job right now is to REDUCE your stress. Posting here will help with anxiety and most posts get responded to pretty fast. @houston13

Here are the most important things to anchor to right now. Knowledge is power. Stay very close to a major medical center that has a dedicated thoracic aortic specialist department, not just general cardiology. Meet your thoracic surgeon now, not the morning of surgery someday. Even if surgery is not imminent, that relationship matters. You deserve time to ask questions, understand thresholds, and know what the plan is long before decisions become urgent.

You are not behind. You are not late. You are not being dramatic. You are learning about a condition that most people only hear about when something goes wrong, and you are doing it in a controlled, proactive way. For a bit of perspective: I survived an acute Type A aortic dissection in 2015 and emergency open-heart surgery. I learned the hard way how critical it is to understand your aorta, your numbers, and your care team before a crisis. The fact that you know now means you have power, options, and time.

You are doing the right things. Keep learning, keep asking, and make sure you are surrounded by specialists who do this every day. You're going to be fine. Peace.

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@moonboy thank you so much, connecting with others that are going through or who have survived an emergency I feel is already helping me to feel less stress about it.

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