title: Reexamining contraindications for minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.
abstract: Historically, contraindications to minimally invasive or robotic mitral valve surgery have included prior mastectomy, thoracic reconstruction, or chest radiation. However, we believe that by granting flexibility in the choice of skin incision site while performing careful dissection, surgeons can provide these patients the outstanding results afforded by a minithoracotomy. We present a patient who had undergone a prior mastectomy and radiation treatment in whom we performed a minimally invasive mitral valve repair through a right-sided minithoracotomy using the previous mastectomy incision.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA. readec@mail.ecu.edu
authors.forename: Clifton C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Reade
authors.forename: Curtis E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: Alan P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kypson
authors.forename: L Wiley
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Nifong
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Wooden
authors.forename: W Randolph
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Chitwood
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002921:Cicatrix; D000075202:Contraindications; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000601:surgery*; D009558:Nipples / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods*