Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement
Published on: March 26, 2018
Standardization for Minimally Invasive Combined Aortic and Mitral Valve Surgery via a Right Minithoracotomy
Masataka Yamazaki1, Tatsuo Takahashi1, Yorihiko Matsumoto1
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Keio University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
Surgeons have been reluctant to adopt minimally invasive combined aortic and mitral valve surgery through a minithoracotomy because of its complexity and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping times. Our technique was designed to provide a close and frontal surgical visual field without the need for long-shafted specialized surgical instruments, thereby allowing a standardized and well-visualized surgical visual field in many cases. Here we describe the implementation of our minimally invasive combined aortic and mitral valve surgical procedure through a right minithoracotomy facilitated by the superior septal approach for mitral valve access.
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