anurism in main artery in heart

[sandi875th]

My ex-husband has just been told he has an anurisium on or in his artery in his heart. As you see I know nothing about this. They told him he could die at any moment and made him an appointment for more test and to schedule him for surgery. Is this gonna be open heart surgery? How is this surgery done and what are his chances if he makes it surgery. They described it as an intertube with a bubble on it that is about to blow. Just as a tire would blow out, so could his artery. This is to scary. He started having pain and when he went for tests they found it. His surgury is being done in a small hospital that hasn't even been doing heart surgeries that long, maybe 10 years. In the northeast Arkansas area. Does he need to go to a different hospital or will that really matter. I want to try and talk his family into taking him to a larger hospital in LittleRock Arkansas that has lots of experience. Can you please better explain to me what an anurisim is and how serious the surgery is and what the survival rate is for a 61 year old male with sarcoidosis which attacked his lungs several years ago but he did get better untill this has happened. History of high blood pressure, alcohol abuse,non-smoker no history of heart disease Not an active person. suffers from shortness of breath. Has been disabled from the sarcoid for 10 years.

[Barbarella]

They told him "he could die at any moment" yet told him to make an "appointment" instead of putting him in the hospital.  

I'd urge your husband to make an appointment with a Cardiologist, make sure and tell them of his aneurism in the main artery this way he should get an appointment ASAP and not in a month from now.  Or go to the ER and tell them what the doctor said and maybe they can refer him to the appropreate Specialist.

Good luck!  Yes, this is indeed serious.

[sandi875th]

So you see why I was so worried about having the surgery done locally, however, more test were ran and now the heart doctor said it wasn't as bad as he was told but he had a small aneurism and they were just gonna keep an eye on him. Does that make sense? He is now going to a better doctor for another opinion. His regular MD said he was dying, the heart doc. said keep a check of it, well, if I had what he does I would be going to another doctor too. It has his attention tho and he is gonna take better care of  himself. I think sometimes a good scare to get ones attention helps but I surely wouldn't want that kind of scare! Thanx for your comment.

Oh, yes we were all wondering if it ws that serious why he wasn't put in the hospital? That I do not know, wondered that myself!!

[Barbarella]

I'm glad he is going to a better doctor for another opinion.  I don't know what to tell you.  A small aneurism could go into a larger one.  Why not fix it now before it gets bigger?

Let us know what this other doctor will say.  I never heard of an aneurism not being fixed no matter how small, but I am not a Cardiologist so what do I know.

Good luck to your husband.  I can understand how concerned you are.