"Does The Ross Procedure Last For Life?" Asks Linda

Linda just sent me an email about one of the surgical options for aortic valve replacement, known as the Ross Procedure or “Switch” procedure.

She writes, “Hi Adam - I was curious what your surgeon told you about how long the Ross Procedure would last. My doctor said it would last the rest of my life. But, during my yearly echos (and other testing), we have detected severe leakage of the aortic valve and moderate-to-severe leakage with my pulmonary valve. I had to have both valves replaced in March of this year. I had the Ross Procedure 15 years ago. I’m curious to find out your experience and others. Thanks, Linda”.

Like Linda, I had the Ross Procedure performed on me. That said, I perked up in my chair when I received her email. Although Linda is asking specifically about the Ross Procedure, you can really apply her fundamental question to all valve replacement procedures:

How long does a pig valve last?
How long does a cow valve last?
How long does a mechanical valve last?

Ultimately, as patients, we are focused on avoiding a re-operation. Accordingly, the medical community has established some guidelines for the average lifespan of different valve replacement types and procedures. For pig valves, it’s about 10-15 years. For cow valves, it has gone up to 20 years. And, for mechanical valves it is 30+ years.

However, please note, there is variance in the actual performance of valve life. I’ve talked to some patients who required valve replacement re-operations only 2 years after implant. I have also discussed this topic with patients that had mechanical valve replacement surgery in 1971. (Yes, you read that accurately… 1971.)

Specific to the Ross Procedure, I was told that there was a possibility I would never need a re-operation during my life. That was one of the reasons I chose this unique aortic valve surgery. But, that did not stop my due diligence on the Ross Procedure. Below, you will find some links to that research. Simply click the hyperlinks to learn clinical and patient information about the Ross Procedure:

Ultimately, I believe one of the keys to a successful heart valve surgery is finding the right surgeon. This belief is most appropriate for the complex Ross Procedure - considering the double valve replacement that is required during the operation. FYI, I have received positive, patient feedback from each of the surgeons referenced below:

I hope the information above helps Linda, and perhaps you, better understand the Ross Procedure.

Keep on tickin!

P.S. If you have any thoughts to share about the Ross Procedure, please click here.

About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the opportunities and challenges of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.

>> Additional Blogs About Heart Valve Surgery:

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 at 10:23 pm and is filed under Ross Procedure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Print This Post | EMail This Post.

Adam’s Heart Valve Surgery Blog

"Does The Ross Procedure Last For Life?" Asks Linda

Leave a Reply

Adam's Heart Valve Surgery Video Of The Day

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Get Adam's FREE Newsletter By RSS Feed

Get Adam's FREE Heart Valve Surgery Newsletter