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Donald Ross

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description Donald Ross Overview

Donald Ross (1922-2014) was a South African-born British cardiac surgeon known for innovations in heart-valve surgery. In 1967 he introduced the Ross procedure, in which a patient's pulmonary valve replaces the diseased aortic valve and a donor valve is placed in the pulmonary position. Because the replacement in the aortic position is living tissue capable of adaptation, the operation has been used particularly for selected children and younger adults, although it is technically demanding.

help Donald Ross FAQ

What happens to the pulmonary valve during the Ross procedure?

The surgeon moves the patient's own pulmonary valve into the aortic position to replace the diseased aortic valve. A donor human valve, called a pulmonary homograft, is then placed where the pulmonary valve was removed.

Why can the Ross procedure be attractive for children and young adults?

The pulmonary autograft is living tissue and can offer natural blood flow without lifelong anticoagulation required by many mechanical valves. In children, it also has the potential to grow with the patient.

What is the main tradeoff of the Ross procedure?

It converts a one-valve problem into an operation involving both the aortic and pulmonary positions. Patients need long-term imaging because the autograft can dilate and the pulmonary homograft can eventually deteriorate.

When did Donald Ross first perform the operation bearing his name?

British surgeon Donald Ross first performed the pulmonary autograft replacement in 1967. The operation became known as the Ross procedure and remains a specialized alternative to mechanical or tissue aortic valves.

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