gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: Minimally invasive techniques for valve surgery have emerged as a safe and efficient approach in many institutions. Based on data and growing experience of minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, the technique was extended to double valve surgery. Aim of this study was to evaluate immediate and mid-term outcome in patients receiving minimally invasive double valve surgery with or without additional atrial ablation.

Material and methods: Consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive double valve surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Patient data, intraoperative course, postoperative outcome as well a follow-up data were collected.

Results: Between March 2011 and March 2012 a total number of 418 patients had minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. Of these 95 patients (22.7%) underwent minimally invasive double valve surgery through a mini-thoracotomy. Mean patients age was 67.4 years (range 38-86), 52% were female. In 80 patients (84.2%) mitral valve repair could be performed, all patients received tricuspid valve repair. Conversion rate to conventional sternotomy was 3.2%. In hospital mortality was 2.1%. During a mean follow- up of 25.5 months (range 1 – 72 months) reoperation rate was 5.4% (n=5). Mean survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 96.1% ± 2.2% and 93.1% ±3% and 88.4% ± 5.4%.

Conclusion: In conclusion, minimally invasive tricuspid valve surgery can safely be added to a mitral valve procedure. The combined procedure is associated with a low early morbidity and mortality. Due to the excellent results tricuspid repair should be performed more liberately.