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Updated: Oct 31, 2025
Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement
Published on: March 26, 2018
Robotic resection of an aortic valve fibroelastoma using a right lateral approach
Elena Sandoval1, Alejandro Fernández-Cisneros1, Tito A García1
1Cardiovascular Surgery, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.
Background And Aim Of The Study:
Robotic technology provides excellent visualization and surgical precision and it is reaching maturity in cardiac surgery, although mostly confined to mitral surgery and coronary revascularization. Robotic aortic valve surgery (rAVS) has not been sufficiently developed, and experience is extremely scarce.
Methods:
We present a robotic resection of a papillary fibroelastoma on the aortic valve using a totally thoracoscopic right lateral approach.
Results:
This technique provides excellent exposure, facilitates patient recovery and improves cosmesis.
Conclusions:
rAVS has tremendous potential and many patients may benefit in the future. The lateral approach used in our case may offers advantages over others previously attempted and may also facilitate adoption of rAVS by teams currently performing robotic mitral surgery.
