Reoperation Following Homograft Aortic Valve Replacement

Abstract

Human allografts, most often referred to as “homografts” in the cardiac surgical literature, were introduced in the orthotopic position as a prosthetic option almost simultaneously by Mr. Donald N. Ross and Sir Bryan Barratt-Boyes. Mr. Ross reported, in the September 8, 1962 issue of The Lancet, a single case of an orthotopic aortic valve replacement using a freeze-dried homograft implanted in a manner that would now be termed the subcoronary position [1]. Mr. Ross graciously acknowledged the input of Mr. A. Gunning and Mr. G. Duran of Oxford for their suggestions concerning the preparation and dissection of the valve in preparation for replacement. This clinical work followed on preliminary experimental work as well as human implantation of homograft valves in the descending thoracic aorta. Subsequently, Sir Barratt-Boyes reported, in the March 19, 1964 issue of Thorax, his experience with orthotopic homograft aortic valve replacement between August 1962 and November 1963 in 21 patients with aortic incompetence, 17 patients with calcific aortic stenosis, and six with multivalvular disease [2].