Background. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery provides many advantages for patients. The aim. To investigate and represent our own experience in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery, and to describe the operative technique. Materials and methods. The study was included 100 consecutive patients who underwent a minimally invasive mitral valve repair or replacement through the right lateral minithoracotomy from June 2017 to December 2019. Results. Mitral valve repair was performed in 87 patients (87%), and 13 patients (13%) were required mitral valve replacement. In 24 patients (24%), concomitant procedures were performed: tricuspid valve repair, atrial septal defect repair and left atrial myxomectomy. Ring anuloplasty was performed in all patients who underwent mitral valve repair. Additional methods of correction were used in accordance to the lesion anatomy: neochords implantation, cleft and leaflet perforation closure, leaflet resection, Alfieri (edge-to-edge) stitch, posterior leaflet plication. There was no in-hospital and 30-day mortality. Post-operative strokes were not reported. No wound complications were observed in the femoral cannulation area. The total length of stay in a hospital was 6 ± 1.46 (3–9) days. There were no cases of mitral valve insufficiency greater more than mild degree after mitral valve repair at the time of discharge. Conclusions. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery can be performed as a routine standard approach, provides safe and effective correction of the mitral valve defects, allows excellent results of mitral valve repair and replacement in various abnormalities. Minimally invasive approach enables to perform a large number of reconstructive valve techniques and perform simultaneous correction of atrial septal defects, tricuspid valve repair and atrial neoplasm removal.

Objective To describe the technique and evaluate the results of the isolated coronary artery bypass grafting or combined grafting procedures with mitral valve repair/replacement and/or left ventricle aneurysm repair performed through the single left anterior minithoracotomy. Methods Perioperative data of all patients, who required isolated or combined coronary grafting from July 2017 to December 2021 were observed. The focus was on 560 patients, who underwent isolated or combined multivessel coronary bypass using “Total Coronary Revascularization via left Anterior Thoracotomy” technique. Main perioperative outcomes were analysed. Results Left anterior minithoracotomy was used in 521 (97.7%) out of 533 patients, who required isolated multivessel surgical coronary revascularization, and in 39 (32.5%) out of 120 patients, who required combined procedures. In 39 patients multivessel grafting was combined with 25 mitral valve and 22 left ventricular procedures. Mitral valve repair was performed through the aneurysm (n = 8) or through the interatrial septum (n = 17). Perioperative outcomes in isolated and combined groups were next: aortic cross-clamp time - 71.9 (SD: 19.9) and 120 (SD: 25.8) min, cardiopulmonary bypass time - 145.7 (SD: 33.5) and 216 (SD: 45.8) min, total operation time - 269 (SD: 51.8) and 324 (SD: 52.1) min, intensive care stay – 2(2-2) and 2(2-2) days, total hospital stay – 6(5-7) and 6(5-7) days, total 30-days mortality was 0.54 and 0% respectively. Conclusion Left anterior minithoracotomy can be effectively used as a first-choice approach to perform isolated multivessel coronary grafting and combined with mitral valve and/or left ventricular repair. Experience with isolated coronary grafting through the anterior minithoracotomy is required to achieve the satisfactory results in combined procedures.

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Background. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery is becoming more widespread. The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes in 343 consecutive patients with isolated multivessel coronary artery disease who underwent minimally invasive coronary revascularization. Materials and methods. From July 2017 to December 2019 we performed total coronary revascularization via left anterior minithoracotomy (TCRAT) in 343 consecutive patients with isolated multivessel coronary artery disease. In 83 (24.2%) of them we performed multiarterial revascularization using left internal mammary artery (LIMA) and T-shunt with left radial artery or right internal mammary artery (RIMA). Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), aortic cross-clamping and blood cardioplegia were used in all patients. The patients were divided into two groups, uniarterial and multiarterial, to compare and analyze perioperative parameters. Results. No cases of postoperative myocardial infarction, surgically induced infection, or conversion to sternotomy were observed in any of the study groups. Total perioperative mortality was 0.58% (2 patients). Total operation time (290.6±48 [205; 495] versus 259.4±53.3 [165; 590], p=0.0001) and aortic cross-clamping time (81.6±18.7 [40; 122] versus 67±18 [35; 146], p<0.0001) were longer in patients with multiarterial revascularization compared to those with uniarterial revascularization. The patient’s mean age in the multiarterial group was 7.4 years less than in the uniarterial group. The mean hospital stay was 0.5 days shorter in the multiarterial group. Conclusions. The technique of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting via left anterior thoracotomy avoids median sternotomy in 97.7% of patients. Both strategies for minimally invasive myocardial revascularization (multiarterial and uniarterial) are safe and effective with comparable perioperative outcomes and a total mortality of 0.58%.

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) has a number of proven advantages compared to median sternotomy. Safe cannulation and perfusion are some of the main components of the success of MICS. The aim. To present our perfusion strategy and describe the methods of cannulation, technical features, contraindications and potential complications. Materials and methods. We examined the results of 1088 adult patients who underwent primary cardiac surgery in our hospital (coronary artery bypass grafting, valve surgery, aortic surgery, left ventricle repair, congenital cardiac surgery and combined procedures) from July 2017 to May 2021. Of these, 851 patients were qualified for MICS. To select a safe cannulation strategy, we performed contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the aorta and main branches for all the patients, also we calculated the body surface area according to the DuBois and DuBois formula. Results. We performed 838 minimally invasive on-pump procedures, which is 98.5% of all patients qualified for MICS. According to the results of the preoperative CT scan, 13 (1.5%) patients were not operated with the minimally invasive approach due to the hazards related to the provision of cardiopulmonary bypass. Peripheral cannulation was performed in 754 (90%) patients and an alternative cannulation site was selected in 62 (8.2%) patients based on preoperative CT data. There were 10 (1.32%) patients who developed major complications (stroke, acute aortic dissection, acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis) after peripheral cannulation. Conclusions. Preoperative CT scan is mandatory for planning a perfusion strategy in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. The required surgical techniques should include cannulation of the right and left femoral and right axillary arteries.