Background: Donald Ross introduced the pulmonary autograft for aortic valve replacement with reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract with a homograft. Despite its advantages over conventional valve prostheses, the Ross Operation is performed in a minority of patients who need an aortic valve replacement throughout the world.
Aim: To report the operative and long term results of a series of patients subjected to Ross operation in Chile.
Patients and methods: Between 1996 and 2006, 131 patients aged 35+/-11 years (62% males) were subjected to an aortic root replacement with a pulmonary autograft and reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract with a pulmonary homograft. Seventy percent had congenital valve disease. Associated procedures were done in 39%. Patients were followed for a mean of 56+/-30 months.
Results: Operative mortality was 2.3%. Two patients had the autografts replaced intraoperatively because of tears in the proximal suture line and one within a month of the operation after suffering autograft endocarditis. At last follow up all patients are in functional class 1 or 2. Autograft reoperations were done in two patients who developed dilation with valve regurgitation (both had aortic regurgitation as primary indication for aortic valve replacement). Three patients required reoperation for pulmonary homograft dysfunction. Another three patients had uneventful pregnancies with normal newborns. Actuarial freedom from any reoperation at 10 years is 93%.
Conclusions: The Ross Operation has low operative morbidity and mortality with excellent long term results. Reoperations have been rare within 10 years of follow up both for the autograft or the homograft.