Background: Instead of a median sternotomy which has been accepted as the standard approach to cardiaovascular surgery, we have selected a partial sternotomy as a minimally invasive surgery since 1997. Every technique and device must be reevaluated because the entire heart cannot be easily assessed.
Method: In this paper we reported the pitfalls and results of 108 cases of aortic valve replacement through an upper and lower partial sternotomy. Single surgeon had used the single technique through the same operation field from 1997 to 2005.
Results: Mortality rate was 1.9% (2 patients). Aortic cross clamp time was a little longer in this series than in the conventional median sternotomy group. There were no differences in operating time, pumping time, intubation duration or bleeding. ICU stay and hospital stay were shorter in this series than in the conventional sternotomy group. The operating time was shorter in the regurgitation group than in the stenosis group. There were no differences in pumping time, intubation duration, bleeding, ICU stay or hospital stay.
Conclusion: The minimally invasive cardiac surgery for the aortic valve replacement could be routinely and safely indicated.