Comparison of Left Atriotomy and Superior Transseptal Approaches in Mitral Valve Surgery

To compare the operative and post-operative outcomes of mitral valve surgery (MVS) with a superior transseptal (STS) approach and a left atriotomy (LA) approach.

In a tertiary academic center, the charts of patients who underwent MVS between 2012 and 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. A total of 135 patients underwent MVS. Forty patients who underwent MVS with the STS approach were enrolled in the study as the STS group. In the same period, we selected 40 patients who underwent MVS with the LA approach to serve as the control group (LA group). Two groups were operated by the same surgeon. To minimize the bias related to the lack of randomization in this observational study, LA group patients were selected using propensity score matching.

According to the study design, the preoperative characteristics of gender, age, mitral valve stenosis, and mitral valve insufficiency were matched (P = .368, P = .920, P = .250 and P = .057, respectively). The cardiopulmonary bypass time was 91.2 ± 12.1 minutes in the superior transseptal group and 72.8 ± 6.4 minutes in the left atriotomy group (P < .001). Additionally, duration of clamp time was significantly shorter in the left atriotomy group (P < .001). Estimated blood loss was significantly less in patients with a left atriotomy (535.8 ml versus 658.0 mL, P < .001). Duration of intensive care unit stay and hospitalization time were significantly longer in patients who underwent the superior transseptal approach compared with patients who underwent left atriotomy (P < .001 versus P < .001, respectively). Post-operative dysrhythmia rate and mortality rate were similar between the groups.

Our study demonstrated that MVS with LA decreased cardiopulmonary bypass time, duration of clamp time, amount of hemorrhage, duration of intensive care unit stay, and hospitalization time compared with MVS with STS.