Update on my aorta

[zztimeout]

Just an update....

Was born with bicuspid aorta valve.. Plenty of check ups in my life.. Now at 41 they say my ascending aorta is 50mm (5cm) at the root.. This was via ultra sound... They sent me to have MRI done and said if it comes back as 50 mm they will talk to surgeon. Well results are back from MRI and yep... It's 50mm and I have now been referred to surgeon ... I have had no operations in my life... I am male 80kg in weight and have just started cholesterol tablets due to high choleratrol which is hereditary.

I am now getting slightly concerned.

Thanks for listening
Dave
Brisbane Australia

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Be sure to ask any and all Surgeons you interview about their experience dealing with BAV, Surgery of the Aorta, and how they would recognize signs of Connective Tissue Disorders (CTD) and how they would deal with CTD in Surgery. ALL of those issues are often related, especially in patients with congenital BAV.

Note that Surgery of the Aorta is another step up the ladder of Complexity in Heart Surgery.
Personally, I would NOT have a lot of confidence in a surgeon whose practice is primarily performing Coronary Arter Bypass Grafts (CABG) and an occasional Valve Job. Ask how many Aorta Repair/Replacement Surgeries they perform annually and what are their results.

(There is an Excellent Heart Surgeon from Brisbane at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, AL

'AL Capshaw'

 

[normofthenorth]

And read up, here and elsewhere, and try to wrap your head around the likely fact that your time with that valve and/or that Aortic root may be coming to an end sometime soon. Good luck with the heart parts -- and the "mental game", too!

 

[Greg a]

Be sue to let your medical team of ANY AND ALL concerns you may have so they can address them as they arise .......its not THEIR first time and they know what can be done but need you to guide them,

 

[zztimeout]

Well... Appointment made for 10th March... Dr R Naidoo... Anyone heard of this doctor??
I am in Australia...

 

[bdryer]

Hey zztimeout

One of our most stellar star members, "AlCapshaw" is having problems logging onto the forum, so he asked me to do the following post on his behalf:

Al did some digging and contacted an Australian CardioThoracic Surgeon, (from Brisbane) that he knows, who works in the USA at a Hospital which is known for accomplishing Heart Transplants. He asked this doctor to recommend a down under surgeon. The surgeon he recommended is Bruce Garlack. Gathering from my communication with Al, I think it safe to presume Dr Garack is from Brisbane.

bdryer on behalf of AlCapshaw