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Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery via Mini-Thoracotomy: Current Update

  • Valvular Heart Disease (J Passeri, Section Editor)
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Opinion statement

In recent years, minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has established itself as an alternative and increasingly used option for patients with mitral valve (MV) pathology. MIMVS is associated with a very low perioperative morbidity and mortality rate in appropriately selected patients, comparable to a full sternotomy approach. Besides superior cosmetic results, patients after MIMVS enjoy shorter recovery times and earlier returns to full activity. A number of approaches are branded as minimally invasive, but the most widely used one entails peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass and a small right anterolateral mini-thoracotomy. The operative technique and outcomes of this approach are summarized in the current update.

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Conflict of Interest

Serguei I. Melnitchouk, Jacob P. Dal-Bianco, and Michael A. Borger each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiac Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cox 630, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Serguei I. Melnitchouk MD, MPH

  2. Division of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 5B, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Jacob P. Dal-Bianco MD

  3. Division of Cardiac Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, 177 Fort Washington Ave, Milstein 7GN-435, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Michael A. Borger MD, PhD

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  1. Serguei I. Melnitchouk MD, MPH
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  2. Jacob P. Dal-Bianco MD
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Correspondence to Serguei I. Melnitchouk MD, MPH.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Valvular Heart Disease

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Melnitchouk, S.I., Dal-Bianco, J.P. & Borger, M.A. Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery via Mini-Thoracotomy: Current Update. Curr Treat Options Cardio Med 17, 48 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11936-015-0406-x

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