Ross Procedure or Tissue Valve?

[Tiger]

Hello everyone! It's been awhile! I had my TEE the other week and my pressure gradient was 42 so the doctor is ruling my stenosis severe and apparently my regurgitation went from moderate to mild? Also, he said the top of my aorta looked prominent but only measured 3.5....which he said was normal I guess? I am suppose to be getting at CT scan soon. I am also meeting with a surgeon next week! I am so nervous!
We are hoping to have more kids, so I was planning on a tissue valve but also considered the Ross bc I am young and healthy too.
Any thoughts on these types of valves? Why did you choose one over the other? I like the possibility of longer without re-op with the Ross, but the fact it is a bigger surgery and more risky scares me! Also, with the tissue valve do you have to be on blood thinners for awhile after? And it worries me because I am only 27 and if I get a tissue valve now I will most likely have to have a re-op!
Thank you!

 

[Agian]

Tiger, given your young age, it is likely you'll need another 'procedure' either way. However, this may not necessarily mean another OHS.

 

[big_L]

I believe that many with tissue valves are on warfarin for a few months after surgery.

 

[OldManEmu]

Tiger what ever you choose other than a mechanical valve you will require another procedure being only 27.
I assume you are female so Mechanical valves and pregnancy has the very real potential for a bad outcome.
At 27 a tissue valve will be lucky to last 10 years, a Ross on the other had if you have an experienced Ross surgeon that can properly evaluate the pulmonary valve for it suitability for reimplatation in the Aortic position should last indefinitely. In a Ross it is usually the Homograph replacement pulmonary valve that fails, however due to the lower pressure on the right side of the heart this takes much longer to occur and the redo is less risky than an AVR.
The size of the Aorta needs to be accurately measured via CT scan before it can be determine if it is enlarged and if it is this needs to be dealt with at the time of surgery or an early redo is likely for this rather than the valve.