TY - JOUR AU - Cao, Hailong AU - Zhou, Qing AU - Xue, Yunxing AU - Fan, Fudong AU - Wang, Dongjin PY - 2020/04/10 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Mitral Valve Surgery via a Right Infra-axillary Thoracotomy in High-Risk Reoperative Patients JF - The Heart Surgery Forum JA - HSF VL - 23 IS - 2 SE - DO - 10.1532/hsf.2897 UR - https://journal.hsforum.com/index.php/HSF/article/view/2897 SP - E200-E204 AB - <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Background:</strong> A right infra-axillary thoracotomy can offer excellent exposure of the mitral valve. This study evaluated this incision for high-risk patients undergoing redo mitral valve procedures.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Methods:</strong> Of a series of 189 patients who had redo mitral valve surgery, 32 were reoperated via vertical infra-axillary thoracotomy based on previous aortic valve replacement, dense adhesion, location of patent bypass grafts, and peripheral vascular disease.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Results:</strong> Sternotomy was avoided in all cases. The mitral valve was replaced in 22 patients and repaired in 10 patients; left atrial folding was performed in 6 patients. All patients had uneventful outcomes and normal valve function <br>during follow-up.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Reoperative mitral valve surgeries can be performed safely using right infra-axillary thoracotomy in certain patients. The procedure offers excellent exposure of the mitral valve and minimizes the need for cardiac dissection, thus reducing injury risk. Avoiding a high risk of resternotomy increases patient comfort and safety.</span></p> ER -