Ascending Aortic Aneurysm

[Rosie1066]

Morning all. In hospital waiting for a Pacemaker to be fitted due to my AF and had an Echo which has just picked up that my Ascending Aortic Aneurysm has gone from 2.8 cm on my last Echo in 2019 to 3.7cm yesterday. Should I be concerned? Any thoughts much appreciated , or am I worrying over nothing?

[BeKind28-]

Hello

I have not had a pacemaker fitted but so many have excellent results from having this done and you are in the best capable hands you could possibly be in

Good luck with the op and when you are recovering let us know how you are getting on x

[Yumz199725]

Aw Rosie sorry to hear your in hospital, hope all goes well with your pacemaker being fitted. I think it's only natural to worry when your going through what your going through. Sounds like a big increase in just a year but I guess if the hospital isn't worried then it's fine. Take care and all the best x

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Rosie

I hope your pacemaker is a success and brings you a new lease of life.

Re your Ascending Aortic Aneurysm, I'm afraid I know nothing at all about them but I have a mind that thinks whatever will be, will be and there's no point in worrying about things that we can't change. Trust yourself in the hands of your hospital and I'm sure they will know what's best for you.

Let us know how you get on please.

Sending you a big healing hug.

Jean x

[Cat04]

Ascending aortic aneurysm is usually operated on when it reaches 5.5 unless you have a bicuspid aortic valve in which case the threshold is 5cm.The aorta can either be repaired or replaced.

Mine was 4cm and the surgeon decided when he saw it intraoperatively whilst replacing my aortic valve, pvi ablation and left atrial appendage clip that it didn't need either repair or replacement.

I sure yours will be continued to be monitored and reviewed by your cardiologist to see how it is progressing.

Best wishes.

[Rosie1066 in reply to Cat04]

Thank you, I’ve got a ways to go yet, then., so I won’t start worrying for a while. Told this morning by Doctor it is actually 3.8. and.not 3.7.

[Still_Breathing]

When they found mine it was 6.6 cm, which was apparently the sweet spot to do it.6 months later they repaired it and also fitted a new mechanical aortic valve.

[Coper10]

Hi Rosie, the important thing is that your aneurysm is being monitored. It has increased a bit over a 4 year period but to my knowledge, it isn't near the threshold where an operation is considered necessary. Mine was only discovered when it measured 5.8cm, so I did need an urgent op but went well. I hope the fitting of the pacemaker goes well, and try not to worry about the aneurysm - at least it is known about and hopefully you will have regular checks 🤗

[Rosie1066]

I’d just like to say thank you to those who responded in case I have missed anyone not replying . Hopefully it will be monitored. I’m doing well after the Pacemaker being fitted yesterday- rather sore but that is to be expected. Hopefully it will keep me out of A&E for a while.

[Cliff_G]

Hi Rosie,

Hope the pacemaker has gone well. At least you should be free of the AF from now on (unlike me )

The most important thing is that your aneurysm has been detected and will now be monitored.

There is good information on our patient leaflet at thinkaorta.net/_files/ugd/e...

The increase from 2.8 to 3.7 cm in ~4 years is on the high side, so they should be monitoring you pretty often (my guess is at least 6 monthly, if not now then very soon) and at a suitable point should switch to CT scan rather than echo. However, 3.7 cm is not yet in the area where the classical guidelines say you should have a repair done. The old (/current) guidelines say 5.5 cm ascending, but that is currently undergoing reduction to 5 cm. Small stature (which means your aorta starts off small anyway) and older age are factors which increase the risk. Depending on what your congenital heart disease was (BAV? for example), that could influence the decision. If you had any connective tissue disorder( "CTDs" - Marfan, Ehlers Danlos, Loeys-Dietz, Turner's), or if any other blood relative had a similar problem, then they would again operate at a lower diameter.

The best things for you to do at present are:

1. Ensure your blood pressure is well under control. Good evidence says that with aortic disease the risk climbs from even 110/75.

2. See if you can be prescribed a beta blocker, ACE inhibitor or ARB. All these are known to slow the growth of the aorta in CTDs and are believed to help in non-CTD cases too.

3. Educate yourself about your condition and manage your own case alongside your doctors.

HTH

Cliff