aortic valve replacement resources?

  I am a 38 y/o women who has recently been told..,needs valve replacement surgery......I am interested to see I if I am a good candidate for the "ross" procedure or other procedures which would keep me off blood thinners.... I am also interested in minimally invasive valve surgery....I am looking for resources more locally for these procedures....I believe they do the "ross" procedure at Brigham and Womens hospital in Boston do you know if they also do min inv surg for valves....or of any other hospitals in New England that are using the advanced techniques like your clinic. (I apparently need the aortic valve replaced and there is some regurge in mitral valve that needs a further look before surgery)( all of this is a congenital problem  just recently surfacing.  )  My cardiologist said if he needed this surgery ....he would go to you!.....unfortunately....It is going to be a challenge to convince my HMO that I need to go to Boston as it is (from Maine).....never mind cleveland. Any referral info would be useful and appreciated.

[CCF CARDIO MD APS]

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Dear NRE,
The Ross procedure firstly is not highly regarded by all surgeons and cardiologists
and certainly is not proven to last longer and have less complications than other
valves.  Your doctor is certainly right in referring you here, however should you
be required to go in the New England area, MGH(Mass. General Hospital) would be
your best choice as they are the most likely to have the most experienced  surgeons
who can help you to decide which valve replacement would be in your best interest.  
On a broad note, the best centers will do their best in a person so young to consider
repair of the patients own native valve first and have replacement as a back up scenario
or second thought.  In any young person who has no contraindication to warfarin
(blood thinning)therapy the best valve for the aortic position would be the St.Jude
which is a prosthetic valve that lasts the longest.(i.e. longer time to re-do surgery than
with all other valves)  These decisions are really ones that you should be making
after choosing a surgical center which offers all of the possible options and has
a long history of valve replacement (valve surgery is altogether different than bypass surgery
although both surgeries involve opening the chest and operating on the heart.)
Good Luck.  Information provided in the heart forum is intended for general medical informational
purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment can only be made by your physician(s).