Totally endoscopic beating-heart re-redo tricuspid valve repair using smartcanula

Tricuspid valve surgery inherently carries an increased peri-operative risk. In the redo setting, impaired right ventricular function and the frequent presence of hepatic dysfunction are further amplified by extensive adhesions. Conventional re-sternotomy, although well-established, requires substantial tissue trauma. Therefore, strategies that minimize surgical trauma-such as a minimally invasive approach on the beating heart with limited access-may be advantageous in this high-risk population. In this video tutorial, we present a minimally invasive (totally endoscopic) second re-operation in a 65-year-old male with severe tricuspid valve regurgitation and advanced right heart failure (New York Heart Association III) after prior double valve replacements for infective endocarditis. Given the elevated surgical risk (EuroSCORE II 5.4 %, Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality 3.0 %, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease 19) and the presence of dense adhesions, a right microthoracotomy (periareolar incision) approach was chosen. The operation was performed with a beating heart without cardiac arrest, and the right atrium was opened directly through the pericardium to avoid extensive adhesiolysis. Full cardiopulmonary bypass was achieved using the smartcanula system, which obviated the need for neck venous cannulation and caval snaring. In a well-established minimally invasive cardiac surgery programme, this strategy is able to minimize surgical trauma and complexity in redo cases, providing safe and effective tricuspid valve surgery while reducing myocardial injury and procedural risk.