I am a 73 year old man with an aneurysm, a vasodilation. My aorta is dilated to 4.8 centimeters. My doctor says that one will only operate when he is 5.5 cm. Can I stop that dilation if I live healthy or even bring it back? And where do you find the best surgeons in this field?
a man of 73
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
An aneurysm cannot shrink as far as I know. It’s the same as when your skin is stretched. It won’t shrink on its own. I cannot say who is the best surgeon in the Netherlands in the field of aneurysm surgery. It is a routine operation that many surgeons do. Whether a surgeon does this well cannot be judged objectively. Some people have complications more often, but may also take more risks by operating a little later or on people who are sicker. Those who only operate on healthy people have fewer complications, but they may also perform many operations that were not actually necessary. Furthermore, the quality also depends very much on the nurse, the operating room, the anesthetist, the intensive care unit, and so on. Actually, I think you can have this operation done with confidence in all the larger hospitals.
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