Pulmonary valve function late after Ross procedure in 443 adult patients

Background: Limited data exist on long-term pulmonary valve function after the Ross procedure. This study sought to determine the long-term function of the pulmonary valve in 443 consecutive adult patients who underwent a Ross procedure. Methods: All 443 patients who underwent a Ross procedure between November 1992 and March 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. All underwent pulmonary valve replacement using a cryopreserved pulmonary allograft. Freedom from the study’s outcomes were calculated using Kaplan Meier survival. Risk factors for valve failure were analyzed using Cox regression. Results: Mean age at time of operation was 39 years (range: 15-66 years). There was 1 (0.2%, 1 of 443) operative mortality. Nine patients required reintervention on the pulmonary allograft at a mean 6.1 years (range: 1-12 years) after Ross procedure. Patients required pulmonary allograft reintervention for infective endocarditis (n = 4), severe pulmonary stenosis (n = 4), or severe pulmonary regurgitation (n = 1). Freedom from pulmonary allograft reintervention was 98.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 97.1%-99.6%), 97.7% (95% CI 95.1%-98.9%), 96.6% (95% CI 93.3%-98.3%), and 96.6% (95% CI 93.3%-98.3%) at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years, respectively. Freedom from pulmonary allograft dysfunction (at least moderate pulmonary regurgitation and/or mean systolic gradient ≥ 25 mm Hg and/or reintervention) was 94.5% (95% CI 91.6%-96.4%), 88.1% (95% CI 83.6%-91.4%), 84.9% (95% CI 79.6%-88.9%), and 78.3% (95% CI 69.5%-84.9%) at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years, respectively. No risk factors were identified to influence pulmonary valve durability. Conclusions: The pulmonary valve allograft gives excellent long-term function when used in adults undergoing the Ross procedure. Reintervention on the pulmonary valve is rare and significant pulmonary allograft dysfunction is uncommon.