title: Minimally invasive heart valve surgery: how and why in 2012.
abstract: Cardiac surgical procedures via traditional sternotomy are safe and effective operations performed by cardiothoracic surgeons worldwide. However, postoperative limitations in upper extremity activity during bone healing are seen as undesirable by some. Percutaneous catheter-based attempts to emulate the outcomes of traditional cardiac surgical procedures have largely fallen short of established standards of efficacy and durability. The field of minimally invasive heart valve surgery thus developed out of a need to offer smaller, better-tolerated incisions to patients while maintaining high-quality clinical outcomes. These operations are safe and effective when performed by proficient surgical teams, allowing patients to resume normal activities more rapidly. We explore current evidence supporting the practice of minimally invasive heart valve surgery in 2012 and analyze the clinical impact of these nascent surgical platforms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Suri.rakesh@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Rakesh M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Suri
authors.forename: Nassir M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Thalji
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D056346:Sternotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States