The state’s top cardiac surgeons have performed a ground-breaking operation at the Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) – completing the first ROSS-PEARS procedure in the Southern Hemisphere.
The UK’s Dr Conal Austin first visited the QCH in 2019 to assist with the world first paediatric PEARS (Personalised External Aortic Root Support) procedure on a three-year-old patient, using a 3D designed mesh patch custom-made to match the aortic root of a patient to provide support and prevent it from enlarging or rupturing.
The innovative operation means children no longer need to undergo a complex root replacement with a mechanical valve and rely on lifelong medications which restrict participation in high-intensity activity like most sports.
The procedure has since developed (ROSS-PEARS) to include the reinforcement of the aorta at the root with additional synthetic support, reducing the risk for further operations.
Dr Austin recently returned to the QCH to share his expertise in the procedure’s development, with QCH Deputy Director of Cardiac Surgery Dr Prem Venugopal and Director of Cardiac Surgery Dr Nelson Alphonso assisting Dr Austin in the groundbreaking procedure.
Dr Venugopal said this international collaboration is vital to ensure all Queensland children with heart conditions continue to receive world-class, personalised care.
“We can go overseas and train, or you get the experts to come here, use our resources then procedures can be replicated for all kids with heart conditions in Queensland,” Dr Venugopal said.
“Since our groundbreaking PEARS operation in 2019, we’ve also helped other paediatric cardiac units train in the practice and I'm hoping we can now follow suit with this new development in the ROSS-PEARS procedure.”
15 children have undergone the PEARS procedure at QCH since 2019.
17-year-old Benjamin Duckett was the first Queensland patient to recently undergo the new ROSS-PEARS procedure at the QCH, under Dr Venugopal and Dr Alphonso.
Dr Conal Austin said: “Both surgeons were my trainees a long time ago, and having developed this relatively new operation, I thought it would be really good to come here and give them the opportunity of performing ROSS-PEARS for the first time.”
“It’s about having dialogue with each other, sharing knowledge and experience. It’s also a real privilege to travel around the world and help children and their families,” he added.