Which surgeons at Mayo Clinic would you recommend for upcoming surgery

At Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, Dr. Jack Haney is my recommendation hands down.

We believe that it is important to select a surgeon that uses methods to perfuse the brain with blood during surgery. Even at Mayo their excellent CV surgeons practice a little differently. So if you have concerns about future dementia or surgery’s effects on cognition, there are useful articles in the literature about better outcomes using antegrade and retrograde perfusion.

Hello @rphiller. Here is a list of all the surgeons, providers and different departments that are part of a connected specialty care team at Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aortic-aneurysm/doctors-departments/ddc-20369475.

With time to prepare, it is good that you are being thorough in your research. When you have options, things like travel, lodging and logistics can play a large role as well. You may find the Mayo Clinic Concierge Services useful when trying to decide where to go as well, https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/minnesota/concierge-services.

I'd like to invite @jeanern01 and @tess55 to this conversation as well as they have both discussed exploring where to get their treatment as well and may be able to offer some insight on where they ultimately decided to go.

It is our experience that the primary surgeons/specialists that treat, i.e., perform surgery on ascending aortic aneurysms patients, are the Cardiovascular Surgeons.
While members of the Aortic Center and other specialists are on the team, the Cardiovascular Surgeons and their immediate colleagues are central.

Please include me in this conversation, as well! I am 72 with a 4.3 cm AAA (surgery recommended as soon as 4.5) and recently diagnosed with very early Alzheimer's (so I am very interested in the brain perfusion topic). I reside in St. Paul, MN, so I think that Mayo would be the logical choice.
Thank You

Dr. Daly at Mayo Rochester did my brother's aneurysm repair and my Dad's double bypass.

Hi, I am Tess55. At the recommendation of a Texas status-post aneurysm patient from this site, I now have an appointment in January with Dr. Anthony Estrera in Houston, TX. I am also from Texas. I was diagnosed with a 4.5 TAA during a stroke workup in 07/23. My TAA has been monitored by my PCP and is deemed stable for now.

I started my search for a cardiologist last August. I asked my PCP if I should have a cardiologist and was told, "I think you and I can handle this for the time being." I respect my physician and I know what he meant - that I was basically stable for the time and he will refer me should my aneurysm start growing. HOWEVER, he also told me that I could lift up to 50 lb. and no where have I seen anyone else with an aneurysm be told that. In reading what others are allowed to do, I see numbers like 25-30 lbs. With all of this in mind, I would just be more comfortable seeing a cardiologist.

Sorry, I digress. I initially considered going to Cleveland Clinic but I don't have the support group that can go all the way to Cleveland, OH with me. Traveling to and from just seems overwhelming to me.

After much reading and research, I was very happy with the recommendation I received on here. I now have appointments with Dr. Anthony Estrera (cardiothoracic surgeon) and Dr. Siddharth Prakash (cardiologist) of Houston. Houston is a 5-hr drive for me. Admittedly, I feel guilty for going behind my docs back but am sure he will understand. Like me, I am sure you have lots of questions and want to be as prepared as you can be.

Don't feel guilty about your doctors. They should not mind at all that you're getting second opinions. That goes with the territory. If I'm not mistaken, Dr. Prakash is reputed to be the best cardiac surgeon in the world. I think I read that somewhere. At any rate, you're doing the right thing: whatever it takes to ease your mind and preserve your health. Best of luck to you.

One area where doctors seem to vary pretty significantly is in the area of restrictions on physical activity. I suspect it varies depending upon your age, size and physical condition and the sophistication of your doctor. I've heard the 30 pound limit pretty frequently. But, I've also heard other well-respected doctors go as high as half your body limit for relatively young and physically active patients (e.g., Dr. Roselli at the Cleveland Clinic, and my own doctor, who trained at the Cleveland Clinic but is now elsewhere). I'm relatively young (57), physically tall (6'3") and was physically active before my diagnosis, so that may have played a factor. Dr. Prakash seems to be pretty well known and knowledgeable in this area. You might check out his presentation that he did to the Aortic Hope group fairly recently:
https://www.aortichope.org/post/live-q-a-dr-prakash-aneurysms-and-blood-pressure

Yes, I have researched Dr. Prakash and look forward to meeting with him. I am 69, status post mild stroke, and am trying to get in better health. I still work (in healthcare) and am very thankful for that. Dr. Roselli would have been my choice had I elected to go to Cleveland Clinic. 🙂

The support and guidance from this group is awesome!