Newbie - Aortic Aneurysm, Q on exercise, lifting

[Catie]

Thanks a lot for all your kind replies. I'm sorry for my delay in returning & posting here. I've been overwhelmed taking care of my mother-in-law's affairs. She recently developed dementia and we moved her near us in Indy and placed her in assisted living.

Though I really like my cardiologist, I probably need to locate someone with more experience with thoracic aortic aneurysms. I'd still like to have more definitive guidelines, and perhaps another dr. can give them. Seems like there are a lot of conflicting opinions among professionals.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Thanks a lot for all your kind replies. I'm sorry for my delay in returning & posting here. I've been overwhelmed taking care of my mother-in-law's affairs. She recently developed dementia and we moved her near us in Indy and placed her in assisted living.

Though I really like my cardiologist, I probably need to locate someone with more experience with thoracic aortic aneurysms. I'd still like to have more definitive guidelines, and perhaps another dr. can give them. Seems like there are a lot of conflicting opinions among professionals.

Surgeons probably know a LOT more about aneurisms that Cardiologists.
You may want to get that second opinion from a Surgeon, and preferably one who actually repairs / replaces diseased Aorta's (not just ByPass Surgery with an ocassional basic valve job). There is a Wide Range of Complexity (and skills involved) in Heart Surgery.

Has anyone mention anything about having a BiCuspid Aortic Valve?
BAV and Aortic Aneurisms are often a sign of a Connective Tissue Disorder.
IF you have a CTD, then you Really want to find a Surgeon with the appropriate experience to recognize and know how to deal with defective tissue. See the BiCuspid Aortic Valve and Connective Tissue Disorder Forum for LOTS more information on this subject.

The Top Heart Hospitals in the Midwest are Cleveland Clinic #1 (Dr. Svensson head of CTD clinic), Mayo Clinic #2 (Dr. Sundt Aorta Specialist),
Northwestern (Chicago area - Dr. McCarthy is Ross's Aorta Hero), Dr. Kouchoukas in MO is a well known Aorta Surgeon who trained Dr. Sundt at Mayo).

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Catie]

Thanks for all the good info, AL. Being in Indianapolis, I've considered a trip to Cleveland, though Chicago's closer. I'm not even sure how to try to find a local aorta specialist. And my cardio told me the surgeon that she'd recommend will not see patients till they're at the point of being referred for surgery.

Yeah, I believe I've had a bicuspid valve my whole life and it has held its own pretty well (diagnosed age 16). I have mild regurg & mild stenosis. But if I had a CTD, wouldn't there be other symptoms by the time a person's 51 like I am? I haven't spent any real time at that forum and am too swamped to do so right now.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

FYI, Dr. McCarthy at Northwestern was "stolen" from Cleveland Clinic in Ross's opinion.
Ross credits Dr. McCarthy with saving his life when his aorta disected which is usually a Fatal situation.

re: finding a Local Aorta Surgeon, you could call the offices of the local surgeons and just ask a Nurse or Surgeon's Assistant (or maybe even the office manager if that person has a good understanding of the surgeon's skills and experience) if / how many surgeries of the Aorta this surgeon performs annually. I'd be looking for someone who does (way?) more than one a month.

'AL'

 

[Catie]

Thank you, AL. I do need to find a specialist. If I can get my mother-in-law's health issues to calm down, maybe I'll have a chance to tend to my own.

 

[john79t]

Welcome. Do a search for best heart hospitals and you will find the top ones. I went to Barnes Jewish in St Louis because it was in the top 10 but more important had one of the best valve and aortic aneurysm repair surgeons around. Cleveland clinic is the best and has great surgeons. Make sure they have done many hundreds or even thousands of successful repairs. My surgery was because of the aortic valve but I was glad to get the 4.5 AA fixed.

Like Ross often has said I wouldd ask the surgeon what he would do with this time bomb in his chest.

 

[Catie]

Thanks a lot. I definitely have Cleveland Clinic in mind. That's good to know about the St. Louis hospital as that's not too far. Our ins. is going to change before long back to a PPO, and I hope referrals aren't hard to get.

 

[john79t]

If you go to BJH Dr. Mark Moon is great!

 

[Duffey]

Dr. Nicholas Kouchoukos is at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis County. He's known to be one of the top thoracic surgeons in the country and has performed many aortic aneurysm repairs and valve replacements. He replaced my bav in 2005.

 

[john79t]

Yes Duffy. Dr. Nick trained Mark Moon. Both are great! Nick has received many awards for his work in connective tissue disorders and valve replacement. He is also the guy that came up with putting folks on ice to preserve their brain and reduce the chance of stroke. The rest of the medical field thought he was crazy but it is the standard practice now. I took Moon because he was younger, and the hospital Nick works with now did not accept my insurance.