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Updated: May 25, 2026

Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement
Published on: March 26, 2018
Minimally invasive heart valve surgery: how and why in 2012
Rakesh M Suri1, Nassir M Thalji
1Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Suri.rakesh@mayo.edu
Abstract:
Cardiac surgical procedures via traditional sternotomy are safe and effective operations performed by cardiothoracic surgeons worldwide. However, postoperative limitations in upper extremity activity during bone healing are seen as undesirable by some. Percutaneous catheter-based attempts to emulate the outcomes of traditional cardiac surgical procedures have largely fallen short of established standards of efficacy and durability. The field of minimally invasive heart valve surgery thus developed out of a need to offer smaller, better-tolerated incisions to patients while maintaining high-quality clinical outcomes. These operations are safe and effective when performed by proficient surgical teams, allowing patients to resume normal activities more rapidly. We explore current evidence supporting the practice of minimally invasive heart valve surgery in 2012 and analyze the clinical impact of these nascent surgical platforms.
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Heart Valves
The AV valves prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles to the atria during ventricular contraction. These valves function with the assistance of the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. When the ventricles are relaxed, the chordae tendineae are slack, allowing blood to flow from the atria into the...

