A review of pulmonary autograft external support in the Ross procedure.

This article reviews the incidence of pulmonary autograft dilatation, its risk factors and pathophysiology. The techniques of external pulmonary autograft support are discussed along with their respective advantages and limitations. Finally, future areas of research and developments are examined. EXPERT OPINION: The risk of autograft dilatation is mainly prevalent in patients with aortic regurgitation and a dilated aortic annulus. In these selected patients, an external support may prevent dilatation of the autograft. However, any permanent support potentially restricts autograft root motion, mitigating some of the advantages associated with the Ross procedure. A bioresorbable matrix that could support the root during its initial adaptative phase could alleviate this problem. In our opinion, aggressive blood pressure control during the first postoperative year along with annular and sino-tubular junction support in selected patients provides optimal stability of autograft root dimensions while preserving root dynamics. Serial imaging and clinical follow-up are necessary to define the role of these various strategies. PMID: 31663385 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Expert Review of Medical Devices - Category: Medical Devices Tags: Expert Rev Med Devices Source Type: research