minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. an anesthesiologist''s viewpoint

We conducted a retrospective comparative analysis of 75 patients undergoing video-assisted mitral valve repair with right minithoracotomy over a period from November 2011 to August 2013. The control group comprised 71 patients operated on mitral valve by using median sternotomy during the same period. Median (25th; 75th) times of cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping were significantly longer in the minimally invasive group (180 [139; 224] and 111 [87; 145] min, respectively) as compared to the controls (84 [69; 117] and 62 [49; 81 ] min, respectively), p<0.01. Fatal outcome occurred in 2 (2.7%) cases in the minimally invasive group versus none in the controls. In both cases death resulted from intraoperative aortic dissection. While ventilation time and intensive care unit stay were comparable across the groups, postoperative respiratory failure occurred in 6 (8%) cases in the minimally invasive group versus none in the controls (p<0.05). No other significant differences in the postoperative course were observed between the groups. The results of the present study are generally consistent with the world's tendencies. On the other hand, complication rates observed in the minimally invasive group present a considerable economic burden and require substantial human resources in the postoperative period.