7.0cm aneurysm...

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J

JNoonez

Hi everyone,

New here and two months out of OHS. Presented on April 15, 2008, with a 7.0cm AAA. The doctors were justifiably worried about the size of the aneurysm, and I had an emergency Bentall and BVR on April 17th. The thorassic surgeon mentioned that the aneurysm was quite large, but after reading around on here, I realized how large it actually was. Anyone here with a 7.0cm aneurysm? Am I underestimating how lucky I am right now?

Take care,
Jarrad
 
I sort of figured most folks with large undiagnosed aneurysms don't make it to this point. That's a scary thought. I feel incredibly lucky, but I guess it hasn't quite sunk in how close I could have been to a fatal dissection. I think it will take some time to fully appreciate the magnitude of the experience. In the meantime, I am making sure to enjoy every day that comes my way.

Jarrad
 
Anyone who has an aortic aneurysm that is found and fixed is lucky. Too many have them and never know it. To have one that size and survive is beyond luck.
 
JNoonez said:
Hi everyone,

New here and two months out of OHS. Presented on April 15, 2008, with a 7.0cm AAA. The doctors were justifiably worried about the size of the aneurysm, and I had an emergency Bentall and BVR on April 17th. The thorassic surgeon mentioned that the aneurysm was quite large, but after reading around on here, I realized how large it actually was. Anyone here with a 7.0cm aneurysm? Am I underestimating how lucky I am right now?

Take care,
Jarrad
Click to expand...

Now Jarrad, you had an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm of this size. I am NOT SURE about this, but I am guessing that an aneurysm of this size would not be sustained in the root or ascending artery. I was told the pressure at this point is your enemy. Perhaps someone of greater knowledge can chime in on this.
 
I took his "AAA" to mean Ascending Aortic Aneurysm.

Jarrad - Welcome! Sounds like you dodged a bullet!
 
Karlynn said:
I took his "AAA" to mean Ascending Aortic Aneurysm.

Jarrad - Welcome! Sounds like you dodged a bullet!
Click to expand...

I know its confusing but AAA in our clinic refers to ABDOMINAL aortic aneurysm. and yes, anything over 5cm in that area is considered for surgery.
 
Marty said:
I know its confusing but AAA in our clinic refers to ABDOMINAL aortic aneurysm. and yes, anything over 5cm in that area is considered for surgery.
Click to expand...

Oops. Still not solid with all of the acronyms. It was an ascending aortic anuerysm.

Jarrad
 
did you have symptoms?

did you have symptoms?

How was it found? Was anyone following you to begin with? Did you also have a valve replacement? That is amazing. Curious about some background!
 
Jarrad, my dissecting aortic anurysm was 6.5 on CT and about 1-2 hours later in surgery it was 7.5 by TEE, and leaking into my heart sack and both lungs. So yea we are all very lucky and fortunate that "conditions" have given us the chance to be able to tell each other and others about our own experiance with aortic diseases/surgeries. Glad to hear you are doing good, and like someone else posted, forget the loto we have been lucky in a far greater way. Mike:D
 
Questions ... Questions ... Questions

What took you to the hospital in the first place?

What made the docs look for an Aneurism?

Do you have a BiCuspid Aortic Valve?

Do you have any signs of Valve Disease?

I'm having difficulty wrapping my head around the concept that some Doc "just happened" to find your 7.0 cm aneurism out of the blue.

'AL Capshaw'
 
JNoonez said:
Oops. Still not solid with all of the acronyms. It was an ascending aortic anuerysm.

Jarrad
Click to expand...


Yes, my paramedic son refers to this as a "triple A" which is abdominal. I agree that not only have you dodged a bullet, but a SCUD missle! Something of that size could probably have blow by sneezing!
 
ALCapshaw2 said:
Questions ... Questions ... Questions

What took you to the hospital in the first place?

What made the docs look for an Aneurism?

Do you have a BiCuspid Aortic Valve?

Do you have any signs of Valve Disease?

I'm having difficulty wrapping my head around the concept that some Doc "just happened" to find your 7.0 cm aneurism out of the blue.

'AL Capshaw'
Click to expand...

Some answers...

• I originally went to the hospital with some chest pains on April 1st. A colleague who was previously an ER nurse thought my color was way off and insisted I went to the hospital. The diagnosis was pleurisy, but they called for a chest x-ray as a precaution. The x-ray showed that my heart was slightly enlarged--nothing to worry about, they said. Scheduled me for an echo on April 15th. The echo showed the aneurysm. Drove myself to the hospital in New Bedford for a CT that afternoon and was rushed to the hospital in Boston by ambulance that night. Had emergency surgery the morning of the 17th.

• I had a bicuspid valve that the doctors in Boston suspected was a birth defect. No signs of valve disease. I was told in Boston that the blood flow from the defective valve was aimed in a concentrated stream, causing the aneurysm.

Part of the problem is that I have an extremely high tolerance to pain. It's entirely possible that I was in some discomfort prior to visiting the ER on 4/1, but probably just shrugged it off. Hadn't ever seen a cardiologist to that point. Primary care doctors never heard anything out of the ordinary. It was entirely and completely out of the blue.

--Jarrad
 
You should have had the ambulance stop to buy you a lottery ticket. Most echos don't really show aneurysms. Sounds like your whopper had flashing lights and a disco ball that were seen in the echo.
 
JNoonez said:
Some answers...

• I originally went to the hospital with some chest pains on April 1st. A colleague who was previously an ER nurse thought my color was way off and insisted I went to the hospital. The diagnosis was pleurisy, but they called for a chest x-ray as a precaution. The x-ray showed that my heart was slightly enlarged--nothing to worry about, they said. Scheduled me for an echo on April 15th. The echo showed the aneurysm. Drove myself to the hospital in New Bedford for a CT that afternoon and was rushed to the hospital in Boston by ambulance that night. Had emergency surgery the morning of the 17th.

• I had a bicuspid valve that the doctors in Boston suspected was a birth defect. No signs of valve disease. I was told in Boston that the blood flow from the defective valve was aimed in a concentrated stream, causing the aneurysm.

Part of the problem is that I have an extremely high tolerance to pain. It's entirely possible that I was in some discomfort prior to visiting the ER on 4/1, but probably just shrugged it off. Hadn't ever seen a cardiologist to that point. Primary care doctors never heard anything out of the ordinary. It was entirely and completely out of the blue.

--Jarrad
Click to expand...

Did they also replace your Aortic Valve?

Bicuspid Aortic Valves have a high correlation with Connective Tissue Disorder(s) that can result in aneurisms. MOST of our members with aneurisms come in with a diagnosis of BAV and the aneurisms are discovered in subsequent testing.

You may want to read through the threads in the BAV and Connective Tissue Disorder Forum for lots more detail and examples.

'AL Capshaw'
 
Disagree!

Disagree!

Sorry to disagree with a couple of the comments made here, but...with your luck I'd still buy that lottery ticket. You didn't just dodge a bullet, you dodged a cannon ball.

-Philip
 
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