Thirteen years' experience with the Ross Operation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aim was to evaluate 13 years' results of the Ross operation, with special attention paid to the late function of the pulmonary autograft (PA) and the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) allograft, in an attempt to identify risk factors that might significantly influence their late performance.
METHODS: Between May 1995 and March 2006, a total of 272 patients (mean age 30 +/- 11 years) was submitted to a Ross operation at the authors' institution. The most prevalent etiology was rheumatic disease (47%). The PA was implanted as a root replacement in 236 cases, and as an intraluminal cylinder in 36. The RVOT was reconstructed with a cryopreserved allograft in conventional fashion (n=142), with a proximal extension of the allograft with pericardium (n=46), with an allograft decellularized with deoxycholic acid (n=39), or an allograft decellularized with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) (n=44). The mean follow up was 67 months (range: 1-153 months: the total follow up was 1,525 patient-years.
RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 2.9% and late survival 93% at 12 years. There were two episodes of cerebral thromboembolism, and six patients developed bacterial endocarditis. Sixteen patients required reoperation for problems involving the PA and/or the RVOT allograft, progression of rheumatic mitral valve disease and iatrogenic coronary insufficiency. After 12 years, 97% and 95% of patients were free from reoperation with the PA and allograft, respectively. Over time, the PA showed increasing dimensions, and 10 patients had a diameter >45 mm. Univariate analysis revealed degenerative disease and aortic annulus >25 mm as significant risk factors for late PA dilatation. Female gender and bicuspid aortic valve were borderline factors for this type of complication. Another 14 patients had late moderate PA insufficiency, and this was correlated with a preoperative diagnosis of aortic insufficiency. Reconstruction of the RVOT with allografts decellularized with SDS were associated with lower gradients at late follow up.
CONCLUSION: Late results with the Ross operation were associated with excellent long-term survival and a low incidence of reoperations up to 13 years. Due to late PA dilatation and/or progressive valvar insufficiency, some reoperations may be expected with a longer follow up. For the RVOT reconstruction, the use of decellularized allografts with SDS may prove to be a good alternative to RVOT reconstruction.