Happy Tuesday, everyone! With aortic root disease, patients and surgeons have several options for aortic root replacement. Today, we’ll be discussing these different techniques and the advantages and disadvantages of each.  What is special about the Aortic Root? The aortic root is the section of the aorta closest to the heart, where the aortic valve sits. Unlike the ascending aorta, replacement of this section of the aorta requires management of the coronary arteries, which branch off of the...

Do More Aortic Dissections Happen in the Winter? During the winter, clinicians have often sensed that more patients present to the emergency department with aortic dissections. Is this just a coincidence, or do more dissections happen in cold weather? It’s a fair question. Many heart-related conditions, like heart attacks and strokes, show seasonal patterns. But what about the aorta? According to large international studies and several meta-analyses, the answer is clear: yes, more aortic...

Welcome back to another Topic Tuesday, friends. Let's talk about lifting after aortic surgery. "Can I lift weights again?" The truth is,...