September Awareness - Lifelong Aortic Care after Elective Surgery

Diseased Thoracic Aorta

One Man and his Aorta - Years after Surgery, Another Aneurysm!

This September I am remembering one particular man and his wife. Although I only met them once, well over a decade ago, their experience remains with me. I share it this September, in terms of the aorta and life-long aortic care.

He appeared to be a strong man, in the prime of his life, who had not been given any specific "label" for his TAD. His wife was with him, deeply concerned about her husband, as together they sought more information. He had already had a voluntary aortic surgery years before, when quite young. His aorta had never torn (dissected).

Aortic Arch Aneurysm - "Maybe it has always been this way!"  

 I recall his wife saying those words -  hoping against hope that this recent picture of his bulging aortic arch was just the way his aorta had always been - that nothing was actually wrong. TAD, silently progressing over years, makes it far too easy to spend time in denial. 

This reference describes isolated aortic arch aneurysm as "uncommon": Aortic Arch Aneurysm . 

Uncommon, perhaps, but it had happened to him. He had perhaps a little knowledge of what his aorta was like right after it was repaired. However he had not had "aortic pictures" taken from time to time since then - pictures that could have captured the changes in his aortic arch that now had become this pronounced bulge. Whatever had prompted the recent imaging, these pictures very clearly had captured the aneurysm of his aortic arch.

In time, as they continued their search, they may have come to realize that, however unwelcome the discovery, it gave them the opportunity to avoid an aortic crisis - time for opinions from surgeons who would assess his aorta, time for them to ultimately choose an aortic surgeon to skillfully repair his arch while protecting his brain. I hope so.

Ongoing Monitoring, Baseline After Surgery, Lifelong Aortic Care

Reflecting on the aortic care my family has received over the past 20 years, I am thankful. Once an aortic enlargement or aneurysm in the chest was found, there has been ongoing monitoring, taking those "aortic pictures". 

The importance of blood pressure monitoring at home and medication as appropriate has been emphasized.

After surgery, we understood the extent of aortic repair, and a baseline image of the repaired aorta was captured for future reference. Then, back to appropriate, periodic imaging.

This is the essence of the Aortic ABC's

We do not outgrow the Aortic ABC's after Surgery.

 Surgery sometimes includes both aorta and BAV;
and then, back to life-long follow up care.

The Bicuspid Aortic Foundation defines the "Aortic ABC's" as follows:

• Accurate diagnostic testing
• Blood pressure management
• Comprehensive, individualized Care

There is great concern for those who do not  receive ongoing aortic care after a planned, successful surgery - perhaps stemming from the thought that aortic surgery is a one-time, life-long "fix".

Elective surgery may have repaired the aorta. How long will that repair last? Will some other portion of the aorta, years later, require attention?

 For a long life,

 as long as we live: 

Life-long Aortic Care,

Creating a Climate of Hope,

~ Arlys Velebir, Bicuspid Aortic Foundation