The Ross Procedure for Aortic Valve Disease: Restoring Life Expectancy and Quality of Life

When a patient’s aortic valve is irreparably damaged, either because it has calcified and narrowed (Aortic Stenosis) or because it is leaking (Aortic Regurgitation), one proven therapy is the Ross procedure. This involves replacing the patient’s diseased aortic valve with their own healthy pulmonary valve and replacing their pulmonary valve with another from a human donor. In this discussion, we explore:

● How the Ross procedure is the only aortic procedure that successfully restores normal life expectancy and quality of life among patients with irreparably damaged aortic valves.

● How the Ross procedure offers a much lower probability of needing future interventions, as compared to traditional aortic tissue-valve replacements.

● Why the Ross procedure is a better choice than implanting a mechanical prosthetic valve, because the Ross restores normal blood-flow characteristics while avoiding the need for an onerous lifetime regimen of blood thinners.

● Why patients should undergo the Ross procedure only at high-volume reference centers that specialize in the procedure.

Ismail El-Hamamsy, MD, PhD, FRCSC Randall B. Griepp Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Cardiovascular Surgery Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai System Director of Aortic Surgery The Mount Sinai Health System

Randolph P. Martin, MD Clinical Professor Department of Cardiovascular Surgery Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai