Elderly patients benefit from minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: perioperative risk management matters.

Objectives: The goal was to assess the single-centre results of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) in the elderly population.

Methods: All patients referred for minimally invasive valve surgery underwent a standardized preoperative screening. We performed a retrospective analysis of 131 consecutive elderly patients (≥75 years) who underwent endoscopic MIMVS through a right mini-thoracotomy.

Sex differences in characteristics of atrial fibrillation recurrence post surgical pulmonary vein isolation.

Background: Prior studies demonstrated that female sex is associated with arrhythmia recurrence after endovascular pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). However, it is unknown if the sexes differ in outcome after video assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) PVI. The aim of this study was therefore to compare characteristics of recurrent AF episodes in a matched male and female population, using implantable loop recorders for continuous rhythm monitoring.

The evolution of technical prerequisites and local boundary conditions for optimization of mitral valve interventions-Emphasis on skills development and institutional risk performance.

This viewpoint report describes how the evolution of transcatheter mitral valve intervention (TMVI) is influenced by lessons learned from three evolutionary tracks: (1) the development of treatment from mitral valve surgery (MVS) to transcutaneous procedures; (2) the evolution of biomedical engineering for research and development resulting in predictable and safe clinical use; (3) the adaptation to local conditions, impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) experience and creation of infrastructure for skills development and risk management. Thanks to developments in computer science and biostatistics, an increasing number of reports regarding clinical safety and effectiveness is generated. A full toolbox of techniques, devices and support technology is now available, especially in surgery.

At the Crossroads of Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery-Benching Single Hospital Experience to a National Registry: A Plea for Risk Management Technology.

Almost 30 years after the first endoscopic mitral valve repair, Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery (MIMVS) has become the standard at many institutions due to optimal clinical results and fast recovery. The question that arises is can already good results be further improved by an Institutional Risk Management Performance (IRMP) system in decreasing risks in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS)? As of yet, there are no reports on IRMP and learning systems in the literature. (2) : We described and appraised our five-year single institutional experience with MIMVS in isolated valve surgery included in the Netherlands Heart Registry (NHR) and investigated root causes of high-impact complications.