Minimally invasive valve surgery: different techniques and approaches.
Less invasive approaches to cardiac surgical procedures are being developed in an effort to decrease patient morbidity and enhance postoperative recovery in comparison with conventional methods. Although full median sternotomy has been the standard surgical approach to the heart for more than 30 years, minimally invasive techniques using limited incisions are rapidly gaining acceptance. Potential advantages of a small skin incision include less trauma and tissue injury, leading to a less painful and quicker overall recovery, as well as shorter hospital stays for patients. Decreasing the size of the skin incision for minimally invasive valve surgery to significantly less than the cardiac size requires specific access to the valve to be repaired or replaced. Thus, various minimally invasive techniques and approaches have been described for aortic and mitral valve surgery. This article will review the different minimally invasive techniques and approaches, as well as early results and outcomes for aortic and mitral valve surgery.
Detter
Christian
C
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany. detter@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Boehm
Dieter H
DH
Reichenspurner
Hermann
H
D000818:Animals; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*