The use of cadaveric aortic valve homografts for the replacement of diseased aortic valves began at the Mayo Clinic in 1965. The impetus for initiating this program was concern regarding the available prosthetic valves, especially the hemodynamic characteristics and the incidence of thromboembolism, and the favorable early results achieved by Donald Ross 1 and Brian Barrett-Boyes 2 in the use of aortic valve homograft in the subcoronary position beginning in 1962. The potential of a

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... nic replacement with ideal hemodynamics, and perhaps a resistance to infection was attractive. This series consisted of 250 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with aortic homografts between May 1965 and October 1972. Follow up of this group of patients was reported at varying intervals. In 1991, follow up was complete in 95% of patients. 3-6 * The number of patients with stated factor out of 235 operative survivors; age is a continuous variable. † Includes patients with mixed lesions. CI = confidence interval; AV = aortic valve.