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At Michigan Medicine, the procedure is typically performed on patients younger than 55 who want to avoid future repeat open-heart surgery and the need for long-term blood thinners following surgery.

Others for whom the procedure may be beneficial include individuals who:

• Plan to have children in the future.
• Want to avoid additional open-heart surgeries.
• Want to avoid complications common in surgeries where a tissue or mechanical valve is used.
• Have undergone a previous surgical aortic valve replacement and are experiencing a failed valve.
• Have a very small aortic valve in need of replacement.

During the Ross open-heart procedure, the diseased aortic valve is removed and replaced with the patient’s own pulmonary valve. A second pulmonary valve, typically human homograft valve or occasionally animal tissue valve, is then attached where the initial pulmonary valve was removed.

Because the procedure involves significant reconstruction of the heart valves, it requires the skill of a surgeon with specialized expertise.

The Ross procedure is different from a traditional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) procedure because it uses the patient’s own valve versus a bioprosthetic or tissue valve. This benefits the patient in several ways, including:

• Eliminates the need for blood thinners after surgery.
• Minimizes the risk of eventual valve deterioration when compared with a tissue valve.
• Ensures compatibility.
• Decreases the possibility of valve infection.
• Results in a patient survival curve identical to that of a healthy individual.

Following the Ross procedure, patients may be prescribed medications such as beta blockers to control blood pressure as the pulmonary valve begins its new function as an aortic valve.