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Inside Access: The Ross Procedure Wet Lab at USC

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: April 7, 2025

In case you missed it... Earlier today, we had special access to the Ross Procedure Training Course taught by Dr. Vaughn Starnes and Dr. Craig Baker. As you may know, Dr. Starnes performed the Ross Procedure on me in 2005. Nearly 20 years later, my heart is doing perfect and I do not take any medications or blood thinners.

This mazing event that was hosted by LifeNet Health, a special organization that provides the pulmonary donor valves used during the Ross Procedure.

Unfortunately, the video below was deleted following a Facebook Live policy change, effective February 19, 2025, which Facebook did not make us aware of. Prior to deletion, that Facebook Live video had been viewed over 87,000 times.)

Thanks Attendees!!!

It was great to meet cardiac surgeons from all across the country and the LifeNet Health team during the Ross Procedure Training Course. I am so thankful everybody came together today to learn more about the Ross Procedure as a treatment option for aortic valve patients that are diagnosed with aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation.

From Adventist Health St. Helena near Napa, California, that is Dr. Gan Dunnington and Dr. Aaron Kime.

Dr. Gan Dunnington and Dr. Aaron Kime at Ross Procedure Wet Lab

Here is the amazing team from LifeNet Health who hosted the Ross Procedure Training Course at USC. LifeNet Health provides the pulmonary donor valves that are used during the Ross Procedure. That is Shelby Gibin, Payal Sohoni, Duane Tsutsui and Vincent Sciortino.

Lifenet Health Ross PRocedure Training Course

Here is Dr. Yihan Lin, a cardiac surgeon from Stanford Medicine in Northern California.

In the "Wet Lab" portion of the training, over 10 surgeons from across the country practiced the Ross Procedure.

All the way from New Jersey, that is Dr. Ioannis Loumiotis who practices at RWJBarnabas Health in New Jersey.

Dr. Ioannis Loumiotis, heart surgeon, at Ross Procedure wet lab

That is Angie Peters, the Chief Strategy and Development Officer in the Department of Surgery at Keck Medicine of USC.

Angie Peters USC Chief Development Officer

From Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina, that is Dr. Adam Williams.

Dr. Adam Williams Ross Procedure Training Course

Many thanks to Dr. Vaughn Starnes, Dr. Craig Baker, Angie Peters, Celine Petrossian, Angela Martinez and all the members of the USC Team, LifeNet Health and the attendees for an extraordinary day!

Keep on tickin,
Adam

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Written by Adam Pick
Patient & Website Founder

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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