Better Aftercare – What Should Aortic Dissection Patients Expect?
What should happen after the immediate, life-saving treatment for Aortic Dissection is over? Professor Robert Sneyd combines his experience as a clinician and patient to explore aftercare, rehabilitation, mental health, family screening and what patients should be able to expect from long-term care.
Surviving an Aortic Dissection is only the beginning. For many patients, the next challenge is recovery and navigating the ongoing care, surveillance and support that can follow for the rest of their lives.
Professor Robert Sneyd brings an unusual perspective to this discussion. A recently retired clinician, Rob became an Aortic Dissection patient himself following an emergency in Kathmandu. In this presentation he reflects on that transition from clinician to patient, survivor and, ultimately, advocate for better aftercare.
Drawing both on his own experiences and feedback from the Aortic Dissection community, Rob explores some of the recurring challenges patients encounter after leaving hospital. These include communication between different parts of the healthcare system, delays in scans and results, uncertainty about follow-up, access to rehabilitation and knowing who to contact when something doesn't seem right.
Mental health is an important part of the discussion. Rob talks candidly about the psychological impact of his own experience and the value of the psychological support he received. He also highlights something that can easily be overlooked: the effect of an Aortic Dissection on partners, children and other family members who suddenly find themselves caught up in a medical emergency and its aftermath.
In this talk
- What good Aortic Dissection aftercare could look like
- Communication and coordination between healthcare services
- Follow-up scans and surveillance
- Rehabilitation after Aortic Dissection and aortic surgery
- Mental health, anxiety and PTSD
- Supporting partners and families
- Genetics and family screening
- Blood pressure management
- Lifelong specialist follow-up
- Becoming an active participant in your own care
os, do Aortic Dissection patients need a patient manifesto?
Rob suggests that good aftercare should encompass much more than simply arranging the next scan. Specialist aortic nursing, timely and clearly communicated results, physical and psychological rehabilitation, appropriate family screening and lifelong follow-up all form part of his picture of better care. Pasted text
He finishes with a call to patients to get involved: ask questions, follow up, contribute to research and patient feedback, and speak up about the care and support they need. Improving aftercare requires healthcare professionals and patients to be part of the conversation. Pasted text
This presentation was recorded at the Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland Annual Patient Event 2026, held in Birmingham on 18 September 2026.
