title: An alternative surgical approach to facilitate minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.
abstract: An alternative approach to minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is described that permits direct great vessel cannulation and direct aortic clamp occlusion through a 6- to 8-cm incision. This approach reduces the complexity of the procedure, and hopefully, will contribute to more widespread adoption of less invasive techniques in mitral valve surgery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Dimitrios C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Angouras
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Michler
mesh_terms: D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013908:Thoracotomy