The Ross procedure in adults patients with reconstruction of the RVOT with a bioprosthetic valve.

ABSTRACT

The Ross procedure is now a well established treatment for aortic valve pathology in young adult patients. However, there are several technical aspects of this operation that are still under debate. One of them is the necessity for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract. Cryopreserved or decellularized pulmonary homografts are the gold standard but, in some cases, and especially in urgent patients, their availability cannot be guaranteed. Stentless xenografts (such as the Medtronic Freestyle Aortic Root) can be inappropriate for some patients with large right outflow tracts, because it can be difficult to suture them without tension. The use of bio conduits handmade using straight Dacron grafts and stented xenografts can be helpful as a third choice.  In this video tutorial we demonstrate our technique for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in a young adult patient. We believe that our technique should be included in the armamentarium of every Ross surgeon for use in adult patients. However, long-term outcomes for these stented xenografts in the right outflow position should be carefully evaluated in the future.