Eight-year experience with minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Techniques
• Cardiac Procedures

Background:

• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) has become an accepted approach for cardiac disease requiring surgical intervention.
• This report details an 8-year experience with MICS at a single institution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) over an 8-year period.
• To assess complication and mortality rates associated with MICS.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 910 patients who underwent MICS between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2007.
• Procedures included aortic valve, coronary artery bypass grafting, atrioseptal defect repair, and mitral valve operations.
• Data collected included patient demographics, operative details, complication rates, and mortality.

Main Results:

• The majority of the 910 MICS cases (85.9%) were performed via mini-thoracotomy.
• The overall complication rate was 8.8%, and the 30-day mortality rate was 2.9%.
• Risk factors for complications included age, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and diabetes; risk factors for mortality included stroke, renal failure, and previous surgery.

Conclusions:

• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) is an effective and reproducible approach for diverse cardiac operations.
• MICS demonstrates acceptable operative times, morbidity, and mortality rates.
• The study supports the continued use of MICS in cardiac surgery practice.