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Updated: Aug 21, 2025

Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement
Published on: March 26, 2018
Minimally invasive versus conventional aortic valve replacement: The network meta-analysis
Takuya Ogami1, Yujiro Yokoyama2, Hisato Takagi3
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Background:
Outcome comparisons after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with minimally invasive approaches including mini-sternotomy (MS) and right mini-thoracotomy (RMT) and full sternotomy (FS) have been conflicting. Furthermore, the synthesis of mid-term mortality has not been performed.
Methods:
MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through April 2022 to identify propensity score matched (PSM) studies or randomized controlled trial (RCT) which compared outcomes following SAVR among three incisional approaches: FS, MS, or RMT. The network analysis was performed to compare these approaches with random effects model. Mid-term mortality was defined as 1-year mortality.
Results:
A total of 42 studies met the inclusion criteria enrolling 14,925 patients. RCT and PSM were performed in 13 and 29 studies, respectively. The operative mortality was significantly lower with MS compared to FS (risk ratio [RR]: 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-0.90, p = .01, I2 = 25.8%) or RMT (RR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27-0.97, p = .03, I2 = 25.8%). RMT had significantly higher risk of reoperation for bleeding compared to MS (RR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.18-2.30, p = .003, I2 = 0%). Hospital length of stay was significantly shorter with MS compared to FS (mean difference: -0.89 days, 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.2, p = .01, I2 = 95.5%) while it was equivocal between FS and RMT. The mid-term mortality was similar among the three approaches.
Conclusions:
While mid-term mortality was comparable among approaches, MS may be a safe and potentially more effective approach than FS and RMT for SAVR in the short term.
Insights
Minimally invasive mini-sternotomy (MS) offers potentially better short-term outcomes for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) compared to full sternotomy (FS) or right mini-thoracotomy (RMT). Mid-term mortality was similar across all surgical aortic valve replacement approaches.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
Background:
- Conflicting outcomes reported for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) comparing minimally invasive approaches (mini-sternotomy [MS], right mini-thoracotomy [RMT]) with full sternotomy (FS).
- Lack of synthesized mid-term mortality data for these SAVR approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare outcomes of SAVR across FS, MS, and RMT incisional approaches.
- To synthesize mid-term mortality data for SAVR procedures.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of MEDLINE and EMBASE up to April 2022.
- Inclusion of propensity score matched (PSM) studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Network analysis using a random effects model to compare FS, MS, and RMT outcomes.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 42 studies with 14,925 patients.
- Lower operative mortality observed with MS compared to FS and RMT.
- Higher risk of reoperation for bleeding with RMT versus MS.
- Shorter hospital length of stay with MS compared to FS; no significant difference between FS and RMT.
- Similar mid-term (1-year) mortality across all three approaches.
Conclusions:
- Mini-sternotomy (MS) may be a safer and more effective short-term approach for SAVR than full sternotomy (FS) or right mini-thoracotomy (RMT).
- Mid-term mortality is comparable among the three SAVR incisional approaches.
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