The enlargement of the first section of the aorta, where the aortic valve sits, is called an aortic root aneurysm. A dilated aortic root can cause life-threatening situations if the aneurysm tears, dissects, or ruptures. In many cases, the aneurysm is small, asymptomatic, requires no intervention and is managed with careful monitoring, medications, and lifestyle modifications. Still, it\u2019s an unsettling diagnosis, so it\u2019s essential to understand the implications of the aortic root size and growth rate and when it\u2019s time for surgical intervention.<\/p>\n
We recently received a patient question from DB on the topic of aortic root enlargement. DB asked, \u201cAre there any studies regarding statistical values of growth per year for an aortic root?\u201d We met with Dr. Chris Malaisrie<\/a> during the annual meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, who was kind enough to answer DB\u2019s question. Dr. Malaisrie is a leading aortic valve and aneurysm specialist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n