This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Michele Murzi Enkel Kallushi Marco Solinas Mattia Glauber Permission Requests Google Scholar Articles by Murzi, M. Articles by Glauber, M. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Murzi, M. Articles by Glauber, M. Related Collections Related Article

eComment: Mini resternotomy for aortic valve replacement in patients with patent bypass

G. Pasquinucci Heart Hospital, Via Aurelia Sud, 54100 Massa, Italy

Mini re-sternotomy for aortic valve replacement in patients with patent coronary bypass grafts

We read with great interest the article of Dell'Amore et al. [1]. In our opinion the authors deserve praise for their excellent results with a very difficult subset of patients. The authors demonstrated that a minimally invasive approach can be safely performed also in patients with patent coronary artery bypass grafts who require aortic valve replacement. Of particular interest is the fact that with this approach, the limited surgical dissection and the avoidance of grafts manipulation may significantly reduce bleeding and the incidence of injuries to coronary grafts.

We have three questions for the authors:

1. We have recently reported an extremely low need of blood transfusion in patients with patent bypass grafts who underwent re-operative mitral surgery through a right minithoracotomy [2]. Did the authors find similar data on this aspect in their series?
   
2. In our center, isolated aortic valve replacement is routinely performed through a ministernotomy extending up to the second intercostal space or through a right minithoracotomy in the same intercostal space. In order to reduce the surgical dissection and the congestion of the working field, we use peripheral venous cannulation via the right femoral vein. Do the authors think that peripheral venous cannulation could be a good solution also for their approach?
   
3. Could the authors provide information about how they insert chest drains at the end of the procedure?
   

	References

Top References

 

1. Dell'Amore A, Del Giglio M, Calvi S, Pagliaro M, Fedeli C, Magnano D, Tripodi A, Lamarra M. Mini re-sternotomy for aortic valve replacement in patients with patent coronary by-pass grafts. Interact CardioVasc Thorac Surg 2009;9:94–97.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
2. Murzi M, Kallushi E, Tiwari KK, Cerillo AG, Bevilacqua S, Karimov JH, Solinas M, Glauber M. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery through right thoracotomy in patients with patent coronary artery bypass grafts. Interact CardioVasc Thorac Surg 2009;9:94–97.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Michele Murzi Enkel Kallushi Marco Solinas Mattia Glauber Permission Requests Google Scholar Articles by Murzi, M. Articles by Glauber, M. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Murzi, M. Articles by Glauber, M. Related Collections Related Article