China's First Minimally Invasive Ross Procedure via Upper Hemisternotomy Completed in Shanghai

The cardiac surgery team at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University has successfully performed the country's first minimally invasive autologous valve transplantation (Ross procedure) through a small upper sternum incision. The 34-year-old patient, Ms. Zhang, was diagnosed with congenital bicuspid aortic valve, severe aortic stenosis with moderate regurgitation, and dilation of the ascending aorta, with cardiac function reduced to class III.

Because a conventional mechanical valve requires lifelong anticoagulation and a bioprosthetic valve degenerates with age, and because the patient is young with a potential wish to have children, the team led by Wang Chunsheng, director of the Department of Cardiac Surgery, decided to transplant the patient's own healthy pulmonary valve to the aortic position and then reconstruct the pulmonary artery with a cryopreserved allograft valved pulmonary conduit. On Aug. 31, Wang Chunsheng, together with associate chief physicians Li Jun and Yang Zhaohua, completed the operation through a minimally invasive upper hemisternotomy approach.

Intraoperative ultrasound confirmed that the new valve opened and closed normally with no obvious regurgitation. The team has completed three such procedures, and all patients were discharged in stable condition.