Replay of: Unique Aortic Valve Replacement for Younger Patients- Avoids Need for Blood Thinners and Repeat Valve Replacements

See the Ross Procedure - An Aortic Valve Replacement from Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City

First Seen Live Webcast: Tuesday, October 26, 2004
11:00 am EDT(15:00 UTC)

The Ross Procedure

New York, NY- Each year several thousand Americans under the age of 50 learn that they have a narrowed or leaky aortic valve. As the condition progresses, it can result in shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, or loss of consciousness.

	The Ross Procedure

The typical surgical solution is an aortic valve replacement, which involves replacing the diseased valve with either a mechanical or animal valve. Neither solution is ideal for children or young adults. The mechanical valve requires blood-thinning medications, which pose a bleeding risk for active people. The animal valve solution will only last 12 to 15 years, requiring younger patients to undergo repeat valve operations.

The Ross Procedure

The Ross Procedure is a lesser-known surgery that allows the patient to avoid the need to take blood thinner medications or have a repeat valve replacement surgery. With the Ross Procedure, surgeons use the patient's own pulmonary valve to replace the damaged aortic valve. Then surgeons replace the patient's pulmonary valve with one from a human donor.

Beth Israel Medical Center surgeons performed the Ross Procedure in a live webcast on October 26 at 11:00 am. Watch the archive today.

Click here, About the Procedure, to read more.