The learning curve in minimally invasive cardiac surgery procedures: a single surgeon experience

Abstract

AimWith the development of technology and surgical techniques, minimally invasive surgical approaches are increasingly preferred in cardiac surgery. Smaller incisions provide faster recovery and higher quality of life in the early postoperative period. This study reports a single surgeon’s experience with minimally invasive cardiac surgery, focusing on technical success and early hospital discharge.MethodEighteen patients who underwent open-heart surgery with minimally invasive approaches at Hisar Intercontinental Hospital between 2016 and 2017 were included. Median age was 53 years (range 18–84); four were female (22%). J-mini-sternotomy was performed in four patients requiring aortic valve replacement and in six patients requiring CABG X1 with beating-heart. T-sternotomy was performed in two CABG X2 procedures, in four patients requiring mitral valve replacement (MVR), and in two patients requiring ASD repair via right anterolateral mini-thoracotomy.ResultsMean cross-clamp time was 57.75 minutes (approximately twice that of conventional methods). All patients were extubated in the ICU 4–6 hours postoperatively and mobilized within 8–10 hours. Early mortality occurred in one patient due to non-cardiac reasons. No wound complications were observed.ConclusionMinimally invasive cardiac surgery is safe and increasingly preferred by patients. Surgical exposure and technical skill improve with the learning curve. With experience, these procedures can be considered for selected patients, especially those at high risk of wound complications or with aesthetic concerns.

Keywords

Additional Information

Publisher’s Note
Bayrakol MP remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional and institutional claims.

Rights and Permissions

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). To view a copy of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

View full license details →