Update.

[themalteser]

Hello valdab- how are you doing? Yes, I remember, we do have exactly the same issue at exactly the same size. What does your cardiologists tell you to do? Mine keep saying to continue as normal, not to worry about it, it may be years till surgery etc etc. , but then I think , I'm only like 3mm away from surgery, how can they be so sure?

Do you think about it all the time? Surgery etc? I went to royal Brompton for some scans back in 2011, I had a CMR and an MRI under Magdi Yacoub's research. Are you based in London?

 

[valdab]

Hi Malteser - yes, I'm ok some days. Some days less ok. I mean not a jibbering idiot but nevertheless more anxious than I would be without this condition. I now see the delightfully named Professor Pepper at Royal Brompton. He has helped pioneer the PEARs procedure - which sort of supports the aneurysm with a sock and leaves the valve intact. Obviously when I say sock I'm not thinking one of husbands tatty old running socks. I expect they use a new pair
I think nobody can be sure about if/when/why surgery would come along. Just as nobody can be sure if they will get run over by a bus tomorrow. I guess when I'm feeling sanguine I tell myself that I could almost certainly find someone who would say they wanted to go in and operate immediately but if Prof Pepper sees 'no significant' change in my scans from 3 years ago, then there seems little point worrying if that means it's grown half a millimetre or not. My previous cardiologist (now retired) was happy for me to continue 'as is' with those measurements.

I often wonder about getting another opinion, but given that my valve is in good shape, I'm quite keen to pursue the PEARs approach and there are few people who do it, so I stick with Prof Pepper.