GSman
Member
Hi All,
Last year I (46 year old asymptomatic male) was diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve and aortic aneurysm (4.9cm in CT scan). My aortic valve has moderate regurgitation and moderate calcification. My surgeon told me to get an aortic root replacement and I got scheduled for surgery on May 3rd. In the pre-test for the surgery the aneurysm was still at 4.9 cm (unchanged in the last 6 months) and the diagnosis was changed to a tricuspid valve with two leaflets calcified - looking like one. My understanding is that for people with tricuspid valve the threshold to recommend surgery is at 5.5 cm instead of 5.0cm for bicuspid patients. I am also quite tall (6ft 2inches) and fall below the surgery threshold in some of the other threshold calculations.
Should I postpone the surgery and monitor symptoms and aneurysm closely? I know that I will need surgery at some time, but the later I do it the less likely a second OP will be and the less warfarine I will take in my life.
Maybe I am just scared and trying to chicken out...
Last year I (46 year old asymptomatic male) was diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve and aortic aneurysm (4.9cm in CT scan). My aortic valve has moderate regurgitation and moderate calcification. My surgeon told me to get an aortic root replacement and I got scheduled for surgery on May 3rd. In the pre-test for the surgery the aneurysm was still at 4.9 cm (unchanged in the last 6 months) and the diagnosis was changed to a tricuspid valve with two leaflets calcified - looking like one. My understanding is that for people with tricuspid valve the threshold to recommend surgery is at 5.5 cm instead of 5.0cm for bicuspid patients. I am also quite tall (6ft 2inches) and fall below the surgery threshold in some of the other threshold calculations.
Should I postpone the surgery and monitor symptoms and aneurysm closely? I know that I will need surgery at some time, but the later I do it the less likely a second OP will be and the less warfarine I will take in my life.
Maybe I am just scared and trying to chicken out...