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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement
Published on: March 26, 2018
A tracheostomy case of aortic valve regurgitation successfully treated by a lower mini-sternotomy technique
Taketomo Mizukami1, Yoshiharu Hamanaka, Norimasa Mitsui
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Prefectural Hiroshima Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
Abstract:
The performance of cardiac surgical procedures via median sternotomy in a patient with a tracheostomy can result in difficult problems, such as mediastinitis, stoma necrosis or inadequate operative exposure. We present a case of successful treatment for aortic valve regurgitation in a patient with a tracheostomy using a T-shaped sternotomy instead of a usual median sternotomy. This approach permitted adequate surgical exposure for cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic valve replacement. After surgery, the patient had a good clinical course without any complications and he was discharged on the 65th postoperative day. We consider this procedure to be applicable in consideration of the favorable results obtained.
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