Minimally Invasive Versus Full Sternotomy for Isolated Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Aortic Valve Disease

Background:

• Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) can be performed using minimally invasive (MI) or full sternotomy (FS) techniques.
• The PARTNER 3 trial evaluated low-risk patients undergoing SAVR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes of MI versus FS approaches for isolated SAVR in low-risk patients within the PARTNER 3 trial.

Main Methods:

• The study analyzed data from 358 low-risk patients who underwent isolated SAVR.
• Patients were treated via either MI (n=107) or FS (n=251) approach.
• The primary outcome was a composite of death, stroke, or rehospitalization at one year.

Main Results:

• The primary composite outcome was similar between MI and FS groups (16.9% vs 14.9%).
• No significant differences were observed in 1-year rates of all-cause death, stroke, or rehospitalization between the two groups.
• Patient-reported quality of life outcomes were also comparable at 30 days and 1 year.

Conclusions:

• For low-risk patients undergoing isolated SAVR, both MI and FS approaches yield similar in-hospital and one-year clinical outcomes.
• The choice between MI and FS may not significantly impact major adverse events or patient-reported health status in this population.