title: A tracheostomy case of aortic valve regurgitation successfully treated by a lower mini-sternotomy technique.
abstract: The performance of cardiac surgical procedures via median sternotomy in a patient with a tracheostomy can result in difficult problems, such as mediastinitis, stoma necrosis or inadequate operative exposure. We present a case of successful treatment for aortic valve regurgitation in a patient with a tracheostomy using a T-shaped sternotomy instead of a usual median sternotomy. This approach permitted adequate surgical exposure for cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic valve replacement. After surgery, the patient had a good clinical course without any complications and he was discharged on the 65th postoperative day. We consider this procedure to be applicable in consideration of the favorable results obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Prefectural Hiroshima Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Taketomo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizukami
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamanaka
authors.forename: Norimasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isaka
mesh_terms: D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013249:Sternum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000379:methods