title: Optimal approach to the mitral valve: dissection of the interatrial groove.
abstract: Surgical exposure of the mitral valve has challenged surgeons for more than 30 years. Many ingenious, but often complex approaches have been devised during this time. Using the dissection of the interatrial groove to bring the left atrial incision more anterior and medial, we have achieved excellent exposure in more than 300 mitral valve procedures. This simple technique does not lengthen the procedure and is not associated with an increased risk of either early or late morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Larbalestier
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Chard
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Cohn
mesh_terms: D001900:Boston; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards; D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data