Serial echocardiographic measurements of the pulmonary autograft in the aortic valve position after the ross operation in a pediatric population using normal pulmonary artery dimensions as the reference standard

Serial echocardiographic measurements of the annulus and sinus were obtained in children before the Ross operation, and early and late postoperatively. Values were compared with normal standards for the aorta and pulmonary artery (PA). There was no significant difference between PA annulus measurements before surgery and the corresponding autograft immediately afterward (1.73 ± 0.60 cm preoperatively; 1.63 ± 0.58 cm postoperatively, p = NS). Late after surgery the mean annulus diameter was enlarged compared with the normal aorta (ΔZ 1.9 ± 2.4), but remained relatively unchanged compared with the normal PA (ΔZ 0.7 ± 1.1, p