Aortic Aneurysm

[LilRedWG]

Hi - my Dad's aorta is measuring 5.7cm (it was 5.1 when measured six months ago) and I know that this means in all probability a stent being fitted. Has anyone or a member of their family had this procedure done?

I'm worried..

Hello, try not to worry too much, around 19 out of twenty who have their aorta replaced or repaired will walk out of hospital a few days later. On the other hand, if it bursts then 19 out of twenty will die. XXX

My aunt had it done. She was over 80 at the time, made a full recovery, and lived a good and active life for another 6 years.

She showed me her scar when I visited her in hospital.

Trust me, you don;t want to see your 80 year olds norks under any circumstances, let alone with an A A repair scar!

Where is the aneurysm - is it abdominal or thoracic aorta?

my grandfather was 80 and recovered well from a repair op.

It's much safer to have a repair op (if offered) that wait for it to rupture.

My dad had a triple repair done at 76. He is doing really well several years later.

My dad had an abdominal aortic aneurysm repaired about 8 years ago I should think. Made a very good recovery, it stopped him smoking, and he is more fit and active than ever. He was about 65 at the time.
It is worrying though isn't it

Thanks all (I didn't mean to post and run yesterday but RL got in the way).

It is abdominal.

It's just that at 76 my Dad is getting frailer and frailer and is worn out and stressed as my mum underwent lifesaving emergency surgery six weeks ago.

He had to have his appendix out at 69 and they were umming and ahhing about the risk of giving him a GA then. I honestly am more worried about him having this done than I was when he had cancer half a dozen years ago.

It's just not fair - why do my parents have to get old and why are they having to go through so much at the moment.

On the upside, it is great to hear so many fantastic recovery storied from you all. Plus, my friend has had a baby and Cod;s cat had a shit, so life can't be all doom and gloom.

Seriously though, thank you.

Dh had his ascending aorta repaired at the root and had his aortic valve replaced just over 5 years ago. He has Marfan Syndrome, so he was known to be at risk of having an aortic anuerysm/dissection. It's much more manageable to repair as elective surgery rather than if it dissects.

He was 34 at the time, and considering his other health problems he made a pretty amazing recovery and was out of hospital in just over a week. They were meant to be keeping him sedated and in ICU for at least 24 hours after the op, but dh had other ideas and woke up after just 2 hours as the anaesthetist was telling me and MIL this! He never was one to listen to authority

Seriously though, MIL was shocked to see all the wires and monitoring equipment around dh in ICU so be prepared for that. Your Dad will make a faster recovery if he follows the advice of his surgeon afterwards. Do you know if he will need to take warfarin after the op? Dh does, and he hasn't had any problems with it.

Best wishes.

Thanks Deepbreath. I hope that your DH is okay now - he sounds like a fighter.