John's Story: Ross Procedure Restores Heart Health for Active 45‑Year‑Old in Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. – John Brooks is a 45‑year‑old father who had an aortic coarctation repair when he was just 7 years old. For decades, he lived an active, healthy life without complications. But in the fall of 2025, Brooks began to notice something wasn’t right. 

An avid gym‑goer and outdoor enthusiast, Brooks is known for staying active year‑round—especially in the winter during snowboard season. Feeling unwell was out of character. 

“I was feeling faint; my heart rate dropped below 40 beats per minute, and I had high blood pressure,” Brooks said. 

Brooks visited the emergency department several times but initially left without clear answers. That changed when Dr. John Peterson with Providence Heart Institute served as the on‑call cardiologist. Dr. Peterson asked Brooks to come in for an appointment, first thing the next morning. 

“He said, ‘Look, you’re not going to die. You’re going to be okay — but you’re beyond the point where this can be treated. You need surgery," Brooks recalled. 

Within a week, Brooks met with cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Fenton McCarthy, who determined Brooks was a strong candidate for the Ross Procedure. 

The Ross Procedure is a surgical treatment for patients with aortic valve disease, a condition that can cause the valve to become too narrow or fail to close properly. The procedure was developed by Australian heart surgeon Donald Ross, a pioneer in the field of cardiac surgery. 

“People who need the Ross Procedure typically have severe aortic valve disease that’s causing symptoms and affecting how their heart functions,” Dr. McCarthy explained. “That can mean a valve that doesn’t open properly or one that doesn’t close properly.” 

The procedure is most often considered for patients between the ages of 30 and 65. 

“It’s a big surgery, which is why we usually perform it in younger, healthier patients,” Dr. McCarthy said. “It’s an open‑heart operation, and recovery requires resilience.” 

During the surgery, the patient’s diseased aortic valve is removed and replaced with their own pulmonic valve—an anatomically similar valve on the right side of the heart. The pulmonic valve is then replaced with a donated cadaveric valve. 

“The reason we do the Ross Procedure is because of the long‑term benefits,” Dr. McCarthy said. “Patients have better survival; they don’t need lifelong blood thinners; and there’s a lower likelihood of needing future surgeries compared to other aortic valve surgeries.” 

Brooks underwent the procedure on February 20, 2026. After a five‑day hospital stay, he returned home to recover. About a month later, he began feeling like himself again. Now, just two months post‑surgery, he’s heading back to the gym. He credits his active lifestyle and workout routine for the quick recovery. 

“If there was snow on the mountain, I could go with my son right now,” Brooks said. 

Brooks says the procedure went as well as he could have hoped and is grateful for the care he received at Providence Heart Institute. Dr. McCarthy says experiences like Brooks’ are exactly why the team does this work. 

“We feel deeply rooted in our community, and we strive to deliver world‑class care,” Dr. McCarthy said. “We want people here to receive the same level of treatment they would get in any major metropolitan area in the country and that’s what we provide.” 

Learn more about the Providence Heart Institute by visiting our website.