Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery through right lateral minithoracotomy--early experience of Clinical Centre of University of Sarajevo.
INTRODUCTION In this article we would like to make an institutional report and our early experience in video-assisted right minithoracotomy approach for mitral valve surgery. CASE REPORT Surgical technique include mitral valve repair or replacement through right lateral minithoracotomy, percutaneous cannulation for venous drainage and optional femoral or distal ascendant aortic cannulation for vacuum assisted CPB, direct cross clamping of the aorta with anterograde administration of the cardioplegic solution for inducing cardiac arrest. Mean CPB time was 128 min +/- 41 min, mean Cross clamping time was 70 min +/- 14 min. Mean ICU stay was 1.2 days, while mean blood transfusion was 0.8 package/patient, no complications has occurred and the patients were discharged between the 4th and 7th postoperative day. Echocardiographically follow-up (2-6 months) showed absence of mitral valve regurgitation in the mitral repair patients and good functioning of prosthetic valves. CONCLUSION Minimally invasive mitral valve procedures through right lateral minithoracotomy might be effective alternative to full sternotomy approach in mitral valve surgery.