Operación de Ross en Chile / Ross operation in Chile

ABSTRACT

Background: Donald Ross introduced the pulmonary autografit for aortic valve replacement with reconstruction of the right ventricular outfow tract with a homografit. 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 percent males) were subjected to an aortic root replacement with a pulmonary autografit and reconstruction of the right ventricular outfow tract with a pulmonary homografit. Seventy percent had congenital valve disease. Associated procedures were done in 39 percent. Patients were followed for a mean of 56 ± 30 months. Results: Operative mortality was 2.3 percent. Two patients had the autografits replaced intraoperatively because of tears in the proximal suture line and one within a month of the operation after suffering autografit endocarditis. At last follow up all patients are in functional class 1 or 2. Autografit 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 homografit dysfunction. Another three patients had uneventful pregnancies with normal newborns. Actuarial freedom from any reoperation at 10 years is 93 percent. 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 autografit or the homografit.