Abstract
The operative treatment of severe aortic valve regurgitation in newborns and infants reveals a substantial problem of a very small dimension of the aortic valve. The reconstruction of the valve is impossible and the mechanical valves less than 16mm in diameter are not yet available.
The Ross operation offers the solution of the aortic root replacement with the pulmonary autograft and replacement of the pulmonary valve with a pulmonary donor homograft. Two infants had developed a massive aortic valve regurgitation following previous percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty of the critical aortic stenosis performed on the first and fifth day after birth, respectively.
The aortic root replacement with the pulmonary autograft according Ross was performed at the age of 2 and 7 month, respectively. The pulmonary valve replacement was done using donor pulmonary homograft of the size 15 and 18 mm, respectively.
Both infants are clinically well and are on good progress 2 and 8 months respectively following operation. The aortic regurgitation disappeared and the left ventricular function has normalised.
The aortic root replacement with pulmonary autograft is a suitable solution of the severe aortic valve regurgitation in newborns and infants that have got no alternative treatment.