Long-term adaptive versus maladaptive remodelling of the pulmonary autograft after the Ross operation

OBJECTIVES Following the Ross operation, the pulmonary autograft undergoes structural changes (remodelling). We sought to determine the extent, nature and possible determinants of long-term remodelling in the different components of the pulmonary autograft. METHODS Ten pulmonary autografts and 12 normal control valves (6 pulmonary and 6 aortic) were examined by conventional histology, immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. The structural...