Right thoracotomy revisited.
From September 1991 through August 1992, 38 patients (34 female and 4 male) underwent mitral valve surgery through a limited right anterior thoracotomy. The ascending aorta was easily cannulated for arterial return in all patients. Although there was no operative mortality, 8 patients required reoperation for bleeding, usually associated with the site of chest-wall puncture for the left atrial pressure line and epicardial pacing wires, a problem that we were able to correct. Right lower lobe collapse occurred in 2 patients, but the lungs were fully expanded in all patients before hospital discharge. We believe that a return to this older surgical approach is particularly suited to young patients and provides the important advantages over median sternotomy of superior mitral valve exposure and a cosmetically acceptable scar.
Cardiothoracic Sciences Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
A S
AS
Kumar
S
S
Prasad
S
S
Rai
D K
DK
Saxena
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods*