A
amy
I am looking for information about The Ross Procedure. Personal experiences would be great.
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Ross
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http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF8&q=ross+procedure
A ton of sites dealing with the procedure at the link above.
My procedure has lasted up till now. I'm waiting for my surgery rescheduled date now. I was out for a long time, so my actual personal experience isn't something I remember much of.
A ton of sites dealing with the procedure at the link above.
My procedure has lasted up till now. I'm waiting for my surgery rescheduled date now. I was out for a long time, so my actual personal experience isn't something I remember much of.
hi amy!
welcome to this wonderful site. everyone here is so helpful and supportive, not to mention informative, i don't think i could have made it without them!
my husband joey had a ross procedure done here in nyc 9 months ago. although he is feeling phenomenally, his recovery was surprisingly slower than either of us expected. he will be turning 50 in a month, but looks 35! he has always been in great shape and so we both expected a miraculous recovery.
he is now back to running and we are about to go hiking and biking in yellowstone next week!
ross gave you a link to many sites that describe the ross procedure in depth. basically, joey's pulmonic valve was used to replace his failing aortic valve. then a homograft (cadaver's valve) was used to replace the now missing valve from the pulmonic position. there are others here who have had ross procedures (ben smith, mara, lancashirelad to name a few). mara had a cryolife synergraft valve placed in her pulmonary position.
the reasoning behind the ross procedure is that the patient will not need to go on blood thinners (coumadin) for the rest of his/her life. this, by the way, is not always true. joey went into afib 4 days post op and had to be on coumadin for some time until this was under control (he takes amiodarone to control the afib and does not take coumadin). many docs like their vr patients to take coumadin for a few weeks any way after the surgery.
also, the ross procedure, we were told, can last up to 20 years and that the valve that may end up calcifying will most likely be the one in the pulmonary position. what i've learned, however, is that there are no guarantees. you have to be lucky and just hope and pray. there are some ross procedure patients on this forum where they have leaks and have to have it redone sooner than they expected. please remember, this can happen with anyone and any valve.
the downside is that you are trading a good valve in order to fix another and thereby involving 2 valves (where normally only one needs fixing). this surgery takes longer than the avg. avr, and you are on the pump (heart lung machine) longer .
you also want a surgeon who has done a few of these and is very familiar with ross procedures. i would highly recommend dr. stelzer_ we loved him. joey was his 304th r.p.
i hope i've helped. if you have any other questions, please email me directly at : [email protected] or call me at 914-698-4066.
good luck and be well, sylvia
welcome to this wonderful site. everyone here is so helpful and supportive, not to mention informative, i don't think i could have made it without them!
my husband joey had a ross procedure done here in nyc 9 months ago. although he is feeling phenomenally, his recovery was surprisingly slower than either of us expected. he will be turning 50 in a month, but looks 35! he has always been in great shape and so we both expected a miraculous recovery.
he is now back to running and we are about to go hiking and biking in yellowstone next week!
ross gave you a link to many sites that describe the ross procedure in depth. basically, joey's pulmonic valve was used to replace his failing aortic valve. then a homograft (cadaver's valve) was used to replace the now missing valve from the pulmonic position. there are others here who have had ross procedures (ben smith, mara, lancashirelad to name a few). mara had a cryolife synergraft valve placed in her pulmonary position.
the reasoning behind the ross procedure is that the patient will not need to go on blood thinners (coumadin) for the rest of his/her life. this, by the way, is not always true. joey went into afib 4 days post op and had to be on coumadin for some time until this was under control (he takes amiodarone to control the afib and does not take coumadin). many docs like their vr patients to take coumadin for a few weeks any way after the surgery.
also, the ross procedure, we were told, can last up to 20 years and that the valve that may end up calcifying will most likely be the one in the pulmonary position. what i've learned, however, is that there are no guarantees. you have to be lucky and just hope and pray. there are some ross procedure patients on this forum where they have leaks and have to have it redone sooner than they expected. please remember, this can happen with anyone and any valve.
the downside is that you are trading a good valve in order to fix another and thereby involving 2 valves (where normally only one needs fixing). this surgery takes longer than the avg. avr, and you are on the pump (heart lung machine) longer .
you also want a surgeon who has done a few of these and is very familiar with ross procedures. i would highly recommend dr. stelzer_ we loved him. joey was his 304th r.p.
i hope i've helped. if you have any other questions, please email me directly at : [email protected] or call me at 914-698-4066.
good luck and be well, sylvia
