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Aortic root

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ryan79389
ryan79389

Can someone tell me that when describing vessel size, if the term "dilated" is the same as an aneurysm? I'm a 31 year old male 6'3" 210 with history of "controlled" hypertension and my latest echo shows a 3mm increase in my aortic root from 2.5 years ago to what is now measuring 4.1cm. The physicians report refers to this as mildly dilated

2 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • noreen19250
    noreen19250 ryan79389

    Posted

    I am 5 foot 2 and female with an aortic dilated to 4.2. Mine is referred to as an aneurysm because I asked cardiovascular surgeon. You see I am tiny compared to you so it reaches a critical point sooner. At over 6ft tall I would imagine yours will not be considered an aneurysm until at least 5 and only then if you have a bicuspid aortic valve accompanying it. Not sure if that's any help but it is my understanding of it. Here's wishing I was 6 ft!!

    .

  • Paganalley
    Paganalley ryan79389

    Posted

    I am dissected all the way down my aorta from the arch to iliac arteries. I have regular CT scans t keep an eye on how dilated I am. I do not have an aneurysm. Go figure. Dissected @ 46yrs (now 55) and am 5'4'
  • sandra65273
    sandra65273 ryan79389

    Posted

    Mine has always been refered as an aneurysm. The cardiothoracic surgeon I see tells me how dialated it is after I have the yearly cardiac CT scan. I was diagnosed nearly 3 years ago with a 4.125 centimeter aneurysm in the ascending aorta of my heart and told surgery wouldn't be considered until it got to 5 cm. The next scan, 6 months later, was reported as 3.7 cm which was confusing. The doc says it depends on the angle of the testing and it's common for there to be discrepancies. The scan a year ago showed 3.9 cm and the one I just had showed the same. The doc showed me a graph which explained the point at which surgery would be done. It all depends on the size of the body. Larger people get more leeway. My height (5'6.5") and weight on the chart says the "magic" number is 5.5 cm. Even though both my grandfather and uncle died of aortic aneurysms, the doc says that doesn't mean surgery would be sooner. It depends on how quickly the aneurysm is growing. The fact that mine has not significantly grown by their standards, he feels I should no longer have yearly CT scans, but rather have one in three years. Yikes! That's scary, but he assures me the chances of it growing anywhere near 5.5 cm in that amount of time is quite slim. You really don't want to have open heart surgery if you can help it. My doc says 16% of patients are paralyzed for varying amounts of time (some permanently) because of the lack of oxygen that gets to the spinal cord! I had no idea!

     

    • maximo_jr.21795
      maximo_jr.21795 sandra65273

      Posted

      Hi Sandra65273

      I have 4.8cm ascending aorta ang 4.6 cm descending aorta. Im 37 years old and 5'2.5

      My cardiovascular surgeon advised me to undergo open heart surgery, since my condition is too risky for me since my aneurysm is familial. My dad and my uncle died from aneurysn as well. I'm just confused because most of the articles I read, the operable size is 5c.m.

    • lee_54830
      lee_54830 sandra65273

      Posted

      Hello Sandra

      I have a mechanical aortic valve after undergoing surgery for an aortic root and vale replacement.  My anerysm in my ascending aortic root had dilated to 8.8cm and my valve had stopped working.  I had no blood circulating around my body but bleeding back in on the heart (severe aortic regurgitation).  I was operated on within five days.

      The first scan showed me at 8.2cms but three days later it had grown further to 8.8cm and my ankles had swollen to twice their size, all bewildering stuff as I thought I had a virus and went to get it check out and they find my massive dilation.  I am 48, 5 6tall and there is nothing else wrong with my heart, it's in good condition, they believe my aneurysm was caused by blood pressure or connective tissue issues.

      I've since had a blood vessel burst in my leg sending my entire leg and crown jewels a very deep purple.  I couldn't walk for a week or so.  I'm now scanned regularly so they keep an eye on where, if or when the next one may appear.

      The surgery itself was no problem, it was an 11 hour operation and I woke the next day my chest was on fire.  They even sit you up for two hours for your circulation which wasn't very nice, all I wanted to do was lie down.

      However, I returned to work within two months, the recovery went very well and I feel fine now apart from my valve is very nosy and clatters away at night.  I wear ear plugs for that, most people plump for the bovine valve however, I plumped for a mechanical one as a bovine valve has a l ife expectency too and the surgery depending on your age will happen again (bovine valves last around 10-15 years, sometimes longer).  My mechanical valve should last forever.

      I manage my own INR and have bought at coagucheck machine and get test strips from my gp on prescription, this is so much better.  I don't have to troop up to the hospital every week to the warfarin clinic.  I simply test myself at home and dose my own warfarin.  It's easy once you get used to it.

      Hope this helps

      Lee

       

  • sandra65273
    sandra65273 ryan79389

    Posted

    Ma,imo, I guess it depends on how fast it's growing. More than.05 cm in a year means surgery sooner. Has yours grown like that?
    • maximo_jr.21795
      maximo_jr.21795 sandra65273

      Posted

      Hi Sandra,my last check up was march 2015,until now I didn't went back to my doctor yet. I 'm experiencing cold feet syndrome and strong palpitation. I hope this is not a bad sign.
  • lee_54830
    lee_54830 ryan79389

    Posted

    Hello

    As far as i'm aware, that may be the same.  I had an aortic aneurysm in my ascending aortic root and I had dilated by 8.8cm, my aortic valve had stopped working so no blood was being circulated around my body but bleeding back in on the heart (severe aortic regurgitation).  I had an aortic root and valve replacement within five days of them finding the massive dilation, I'm a very lucky man.

    I've now got a mechanical aortic valve and false aortic root however, they link my aneurysm to blood pressure and connective tissue disorders.  I have since had a burst blood vessel in my leg (making my entire leg and crown jewels go entirely purple.  I'm now regularly scanned for anerysms as they dont' know when, where or if my next one will be.  I just get in with it and the hospital have been great.

    Whenever I bruise (which is ofter as my mecanical valve requires me to take warfarin for the rest of my life) people panic and i'm hauled off for scans, this is rather tiresome but as I say, what can I do?  I just get on with it.  I'm 48 and there is nothing else wrong with my heart, no disease, no cholesterol issues etc.  The correct size for an aortic root can be from 2.5-3cm.

    You will require surgery for this before it gets larger but your valve doesn't sound like it has any issues so hopefully it won't need replacing.  If it does you'll have the choice of a bovine valve or a mechanical valve.  Beware, my mechanical valve is very noisy and clicks away through the night.  I now wear ear plugs.

    The dilation is the size it has swollen to.  I really hope this helps.

    Lee

     

    • ryan79389
      ryan79389 lee_54830

      Posted

      Thanks. It did. I've since saw a surgeon who advises that he is not concerned with the size aortic root and only considers surgery >5cm. He doesn't believe mine is abnormal in relation to my height and only wants to follow up on 5 years, where he believes it will still be the same.
    • lee_54830
      lee_54830 ryan79389

      Posted

      Hi Ryan

      That's good news, long may it remain the same size I hope.  Wishing you all the very best for the future.

      Lee

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