Abstract :
People with Marfan syndrome and aortic root aneurysms should have their aortic root replaced when the aneurysm is still relatively small. An aneurysm occurs when a blood vessel begins to balloon out because the wall of the vessel has weakened. Researchers analyzed mortality rates in 675 people with aortic root aneurysm, 103 of whom had emergency surgery to replace the aorta and 455 had elective surgery. The 30-day mortality rate was only 1.5% in those who had elective surgery but 11.7% in those who had emergency surgery. Surgery on aneurysms smaller than about three inches provided the best outcome.