Homograft valves tend to have good hemodynamics and good durability. It is not clear that either their durability or their hemodynamic performance is better than ordinary tissue valves. Homografts are also technically harder to put in for a surgeon than standard tissue valves such as the Hancock or Carpentier-Edwards valves. In addition, since the valve must be thawed overnight, the patient's valve size must be known before hand. As with heart transplants, homograft availability is limited by donor availability.
Autografts are valves taken from the same patient in which the valve is implanted.
The Ross procedure is used for patients with diseased aortic valves. The abnormal aortic valve is removed and the patient's own pulmonic valve is transplanted to the aortic position to take it's place. A homograft pulmonic valve is then used to replace the patient's pulmonic valve. The main advantage of the Ross procedure is that the patient receives a living valve in the aortic position. The hope is that in children, the valve will continue to grow as the child grows older.