Long-term results of the Ross procedure in a population-based follow-up.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of the Ross procedure in a nationwide follow-up. METHODS This retrospective study involved all children treated with the Ross procedure in Finland between 1994 and 2009. The clinical records were reviewed for demographic and anatomical characteristics, Ross operation data, surgical history and status at the latest follow-up. The median follow-up time was 11.5 (range 2.4-19.2) years. RESULTS Fifty-one patients underwent either the Ross (n = 37) or the Ross-Konno (n = 14) procedure at a median age of 4.8 (range 0.02-16.3) years, including 13 infants (<1 year of age). The indication for the Ross procedure was aortic valve stenosis, regurgitation or both, which was observed in 29, 24 and 47% of patients, respectively. The early mortality (before hospital discharge) rate was 10% (31% in infants) and the late mortality rate 6% (15% in infants). Higher mortality was discovered in patients treated with the Ross-Konno procedure (P = 0.001). The most common cause for reintervention was pulmonary homograft stenosis. The rate of freedom from right ventricular outflow tract reintervention was 98% at 5 years, 83% at 10 years and 59% at 15 years. The rate of freedom from autograft reintervention was 98% at 5 and 10 years, and 81% at 15 years. At the latest follow-up visit, mild-to-moderate aortic root dilatation was reported in 52% of patients, and 4 patients had undergone autograft-related reinterventions. Trivial autograft valve regurgitation was commonly seen, but only 1 patient developed severe autograft regurgitation requiring mechanical valve replacement 15.9 years after the Ross operation. CONCLUSIONS The most common reason for reintervention after the Ross procedure in children is homograft stenosis. Aortic root dilatation and autograft valve regurgitation are relatively common but rarely lead to reinterventions before adulthood. Intraoperative complications and complex cardiac anatomy are associated with high mortality in infants undergoing the Ross-Konno procedure. In our centre, the Ross procedure has provided good long-term results in this challenging group of paediatric patients.