title: Port-access cardiac surgery. Experience with 34 cases at Keio University Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We reviewed our experience with port-access cardiac surgery and evaluated the medical effects and benefits of this technique in view of postoperative quality of life and medical expenses incurred during hospitalization.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 1998 to August 2000, port-access cardiac surgery was conducted on 34 patients--22 with atrial septal defect, 6 with mitral regurgitation, 2 with coronary artery disease, 2 with partial endocardial cushion defect, 1 with ventricular septal defect, and 1 with atrial and ventricular septal defects. Two types of endoaortic-balloon catheters were used to execute aortic cross-clamping. Skin incisions were 5 cm long.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No hospital or late deaths were observed. Patients with atrial septal defect were discharged on postoperative day 3.7, patients of mitral regurgitation on postoperative day 4.2, and patient of ventricular septal defect on postoperative day 4.0 on the average. None were readmitted. Patients appeared undisturbed by early discharge and were able to resume physical work on day 22 on the average after discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients undergoing port-access cardiac surgery recovered quickly from surgery and resumed work quickly. This technique thus proved satisfactory both physically and mentally to patients and improved their quality of life. Medically and economically this technique proved extremely beneficial. We confirmed it to constitute a viable approach and option for cardiac surgery in selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yozu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maehara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitsumaru
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000628:therapy; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life