Bentall Procedure and Anuerysms

[ron]

Hello Everyone,

I have a question regarding the Bentall.

How common is it - after a Bentall procedure is done - to have an anuerysm develop above it? Is there a high or low risk of this? If one does develop, how difficult is the repair job?

I have an anuerysm in my ascending aorta. One doctor wants to do the Bentall, and the other wants to go higher - which means total circulatory arrest. From my understanding, both procedures - in the hands of very experienced surgeons - are highly successful. The guy who want to do TCA says that not all surgeons like doing this procedure unless it is necessary.

Opinions?

It is much appreciated...

Ron

 

[Duff Man]

it was my understanding that both of the types you're probably referring to require a brief period of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest... but one was just longer and more complicated than the other.

 

[Superbob]

Ron,

Has the surgeon who did your Bentall's been consulted and looked at all the Ct-Scans, echos, or MRIs? The reason I ask: I had a Bentall's 6 years ago, moved to another state, and my new cardio and his tech were rather sure they detected an aneurysm in my ascending aorta. I sent all the films to my surgeon, and he carefully reviewed everything and concluded I did NOT have an aneurysm -- evidently they were mistaking the replacement root and value mechanism for an aneurysm. I now have switched to a new cardiologist, who agrees that all is fine.

None of this may be applicable to you, but it IS my understanding from surfing the Web that developing an aneurysm after a Bentall's IS rather rare or at least unusual. So you might want to seek further medical opinions.

 

[ron]

Ron,

Has the surgeon who did your Bentall's been consulted and looked at all the Ct-Scans, echos, or MRIs? The reason I ask: I had a Bentall's 6 years ago, moved to another state, and my new cardio and his tech were rather sure they detected an aneurysm in my ascending aorta. I sent all the films to my surgeon, and he carefully reviewed everything and concluded I did NOT have an aneurysm -- evidently they were mistaking the replacement root and value mechanism for an aneurysm. I now have switched to a new cardiologist, who agrees that all is fine.

None of this may be applicable to you, but it IS my understanding from surfing the Web that developing an aneurysm after a Bentall's IS rather rare or at least unusual. So you might want to seek further medical opinions.

Thank you Superbob,

Both of the surgeons I spoke to saw the CT, Echo, and Right/Left heart Cath results. So they both were sure that there was an anuerysm.

It is good to know that it is rare. From my understanding though, if you go high enough up the aorta, you remove the risk of future anuerysms completely.

Should I undergo complete circulatory arrest now, and remove any future chances of an anuerysm?

 

[Superbob]

Thank you Superbob,

Both of the surgeons I spoke to saw the CT, Echo, and Right/Left heart Cath results. So they both were sure that there was an anuerysm.

It is good to know that it is rare. From my understanding though, if you go high enough up the aorta, you remove the risk of future anuerysms completely.

Should I undergo complete circulatory arrest now, and remove any future chances of an anuerysm?

Ron,

I'm really not qualified to try to answer the above question. Sounds like you're getting confirming opinions, and that's good. I do still wonder if your original Bentall's surgeon is in the loop, too. Maybe I'm influenced too much by my own experience, which may not be relevant to what you're facing.

I certainly wish you well in dealing with this.

 

[Lynlw]

Ron,

I'm really not qualified to try to answer the above question. Sounds like you're getting confirming opinions, and that's good. I do still wonder if your original Bentall's surgeon is in the loop, too. Maybe I'm influenced too much by my own experience, which may not be relevant to what you're facing.

I certainly wish you well in dealing with this.

I don't think he had any surgery yet, I believe he is just asking about IF he got the benall now would it make sense to have more of the Aorta replaced instead of what just needs to be replaced, in hopes of avoiding any possible annuerysms in the future.