title: Cannulation tactics in upper ministernotomy for the surgical treatment of congenital heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present report describes the technique for "inverted L" upper ministernotomy with central canulation for the treatment of simple congenital cardiopathies and presents the initial results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients (mean age: 7 +/- 4.2 years; mean weight 29.1 +/- 13.5 kg) were operated on between January 2006 and July 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All defects were corrected. No death was observed and no complication that required reintervention occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The described technique showed to be feasible and safe for the correction of certain congenital cardiopathies, with less surgical trauma, besides the aesthetic benefit and an expectation of diminished thoracic deformity in the future.
authors.affiliation: Setor de Cirurgia Cardíaca Pediátrica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. leonardo.canale@gmail.com
authors.forename: Leonardo Secchin
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Canale
authors.forename: Andrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Alexandre Siciliano
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Colafranceschi
authors.forename: Divino Francisco
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D056346:Sternotomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D014684:Venae Cavae / Q000601:surgery*