Aortic Aneurysms – Introduce yourself & meet others

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

@pittsburghdad good to know of an option.

@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

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 ??

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.

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?

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

At age 64, I was solo backpacking in the Colorado mountains in 2009 when I noticed that my left leg was getting more tired than my right leg. Several tests led to an ultrasound that revealed an abdominal aortic aneurism, so in 2010 I had an endoluminal graft (ELG) inserted into my abdominal aorta via a catheter from my groin. I then had annual ultrasound checks for leakage around the ELG. In 2019, enough leakage was noticed to necessitate another graft being inserted inside the previous one. Now, after 6 1/2 years, annual ultrasounds show all is good. I’m 81 years old and glad I noticed my left leg getting tired 17 years ago. Obviously, I insist that my two grown children get annual aortic scans.

66 y/o female diagnosed with thoracic ascending aortic aneurysm 3 weeks ago. Incidental finding on coronary calcium score ct scan no symptoms no cardiac history. Not on any meds prior. Now on BP and statin. Anxiety level high. Have appt with specialist in a week. Feel like a ticking time bomb

@ghk Hi ghk, I think we all feel like ticking time bombs when we first learn about our aneurysms, I certainly did. Particularly for me because I found out after I got testing done which was prompted by my brother’s sudden death from a heart attack. No autopsy on him so we don’t know what really happened to his heart and if he had an aneurysm dissection. It’s now been 2 years since my diagnosis of a 4.8 aneurysm at the root and a 4.2 aneurysm further up the aorta. I now feel lucky to be aware of the issues, and comfortable that it is highly unlikely that I will have dissection so long as I work with the right medical experts, keep my blood pressure in check, get checked annually and follow their advice. It does take a bit for the shock of the diagnosis to wear off, but the only changes to my lifestyle have been for the better as I now am much more committed to my gym! Best to you on this journey!