Blog Topics: The Ross Procedure; Double Valve Replacement; Aortic And Pulmonary Valve Replacements; Donald Ross; Ross Procedure Success Rate

As many of you know, I suffered from severe aortic stenosis and severe aortic regurgitation. At the age of thirty-three, my [1] congenital, bicuspid aortic valve was calcified and my heart was enlarged.

Needless to say, I was in bad shape. I had gone from swimming 40 laps per day to swimming 5 laps per day. I had no energy.

Then, I saw my cardiologist. Then, I had my echo. Then, came the diagnosis. Then, I got a second opinion. Long story short, a few weeks later I was having the double valve replacement known as the Ross Procedure.

“Double Valve Replacement?!” you may be thinking to yourself, “Why a double valve replacement if only your aortic valve was problematic?”

It’s a great question you raise. It seems very logical that only having one aortic valve replacement surgery would and should be necessary. So, why a double valve replacement?

Enter Dr. Donald Ross, the inventor of the Ross Procedure operation.

The Ross Procedure is a type of specialized aortic valve surgery where the patient’s diseased aortic valve is replaced with his or her own pulmonary valve. During the [2] double valve replacement, the pulmonary valve is then replaced with a homograft - a human heart valve donor. In children and young adults, or older particularly active patients, this procedure offers several advantages over traditional aortic valve replacement with mechanical or bovine replacements.
Named in honor of its creator, English surgeon Dr. Donald Ross, in the late 1960s, the double valve replacement is a innovative means of valvular replacement for the aortic valve, particularly in children. and patients under 50 years of age.

Double Valve Replacement Diagram (The Ross Procedure)

Although cardiac surgeons in this country began using the procedure in the 1980s, it is still performed only at a very selected group of centers.

As my surgeon, [3] Dr. Vaughn Starnes, shared with me, “With the Ross Procedure, you get to keep your own valve. Plus, the human donor valve will be in the pulmonary position which is much less stressful due to the lower pressure in that cavity.”

To learn more about the advantages of the Ross Procedure and the experience of having a double valve replacement, I have documented my story (the good, the bad, the ugly) in a comprehensive book about cardiac surgery titled, The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. You can learn more about it, by click [4] here if you choose.

I hope this helps explain a little more about the unique, double valve replacement known as the Ross Procedure.

Keep on tickin,

Adam

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