My 4.8 Root Experience

I had a sudden dissection at 50. Followed by emergency open-heart surgery. You don’t wanna go that way. There’s a very good chance you won’t survive it even if you’re lucky enough to get to the hospital on time. Most people are dead from it when they hit the ground. So my recommendation to you as a survivor of it is to get a referral to a top-notch thoracic surgeon who can look at your situation and decide what the best plan of action is. I would not rely on a cardiologist telling you to get scans every five years. That is not sufficient. I’m fully repaired and I get scanned every year with contrast. Peace.

I had mine repaired in my mid 50s at 5.2 cm , 4.8 is not small in my mind. You raise an interesting subject which I also lived through, the difference in care in other countries vs the US, my brother lives in Canada and had 3 brain aneurysms, one ruptured, I got tested after his rupture and they found one in my brain, after they repaired mine i got several angiograms one every 6 months to check the status of the repair, he did not get the same treatment, they checked his with MRIs only, his ruptured again 2 months after one of the MRIs, that second rupture was life changing for him. My ascending aortic aneurysm was discovered later after a bike accident, already at 5.2 so I had my surgery 3 months later. I don’t know what options you have in Australia but if possible get an opinion with a thoracic surgeon as moonboy suggested , it is clear there may also be a genetic component in your family like there is in mine, I was fortunate that my cardiologist is also a geneticist and he has done studies in our family, my siblings and children have all been checked.

Being an athlete does have an advantage for you, your body is in great shape to better tolerate surgery. I was in great shape when I had mine and although it is painful regardless, my recovery was fast. 5 years later I work out a lot, and feel great, my cardiologist does order a full aortic MRI (almost 3 hours) every 5 years to ensure no new aneurysms appear, again I understand that may not be possible in Australia.

All the best to you and your brother

Thanks moonboy, I do understand the implications of dissecting, and that is why I’m scared of it happening, especially when I read words like yours. ‘There’s a very good chance you won’t even survive it…most people are dead from it when they hit the ground.’ That’s not very reassuring lol.

I was never going to accept a 5 yearly scan, and I should have said she offered that not yet knowing about my brother’s aneurysm. But I am hoping to get into a vascular or cardiothoracic specialist in the city 3.5 hours away. Not that they can do much if I dissect spontaneously, but at least I’ll have more confidence about the diagnosis and the possibility of surgery.

Hi houston13, I appreciate your words. I’m sorry to hear about your brother in Canada and his experience. I’m grateful I have resources like this, and people like you, filled with knowledge. My brother is also an avid researcher and fills me in on all of his discussions with his team, so I’m in an okay place, I just need to find specialist care here, but referral lists are long and I’m 3.5 hours from a city so it may not be easy.

That’s the thing about being fit, like you mentioned, my body is in the best shape for surgery. So if I was eligible, or soon to be eligible, why wouldn’t I choose to do it now when I’m fit, rather than when I’m older and possibly not so fit. Probably because it’s super serious surgery! There is so much to consider. I hope they find a less invasive way to deal with this in the future, at least for my kids (if they end up having it, they will hopefully be tested this year), my brother’s kids, and all the other kids out there who have this.

I’m glad to hear you’re doing well now and feel great 🙂

I understand. Sometimes my bluntness reads like insensitivity, but trust me I am very concerned for you and I hope that instead it’s a call to Action. Peace. You’re gonna be fine.

Thank you moonboy 🙂

Introducing myself 😊(w/brief hx)
My AAA stands at 3.17, stable; monitored annually. I don’t know of it’s ascending or descending, this is the 1st I’ve heard of it. Same re genetics.. no one ever asked, but my mother, may she RIP🙏, lived many uneventful yrs with a 4.4 AAA (w/‘flattening’?) before passing way from a stroke at age 89. How significant is AAA when one has (or had) a 1st degree relative with an AAA? Does that mean it’s inheritable?

I will explain it in my own terms as I understand it, I’m not a Dr but had an ascending aortic aneurysm repaired, AAA refers to Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Ascending Aortic Aneurysms are, as the name implies, on the side of the aorta that ascends out of the heart, the aorta then bends and travels through the abdomen. An ascending aortic aneurysm requires open heart surgery for full repair as there is no other access, an abdominal aortic aneurysm has easier repair access