The Living Ross Procedure: A New Paradigm in Partial Heart Transplantation

In the Ross procedure, homograft stenosis and regurgitation have limited the longevity of the right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit. Partial heart transplantation (PHT) facilitates conduit growth throughout the life of the child. We report the application of PHT of the RV-PA conduit during a Ross procedure, "living Ross," in a 3-year old patient with a congenital unicuspid aortic valve. Pulmonary autograft was used in the aortic position, and an aortic root allograft from the cardiectomy of an adult heart transplant recipient served as the RV-PA conduit. We hypothesize that this Ross procedure, the living Ross, improves the longevity of the RV-PA conduit.