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Triple heart valve surgery through a right antero-lateral minithoracotomy

Department of Adult Cardiac Surgery, ‘G.Pasquinucci’ Heart Hospital, G. Monasterio Foundation, National Research Council, Via Aurelia Sud, 54100, Massa, Italy

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 0585 49 3604; fax: +39 0585 49 3614.

E-mail address: glauber{at}ifc.cnr.it (M. Glauber).

Triple valve surgery remains a complex intervention, with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cross-clamp times. A median sternotomy is the standard approach in the surgical treatment of multiple valve disease. In this report, we attempt to describe our approach for the correction of the triple heart valve disease through a right antero-lateral minithoracotomy, because avoiding sternotomy can bring less wound infections, faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay. The right minithoracotomy in the 3rd intercostal space was applied in two patients and a feasibility of either repair or replacement with a good field exposure to access the aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves without any particular difficulties was verified.

Key Words: Triple valve surgery; Minimally invasive; Thoracotomy