Repair of atrial septal defect through a limited right anterolateral thoracotomy in 242 patients: a cosmetic approach?

Background: The repair of atrial septal defects (ASD) is often safely performed as a routine procedure in the young and asymptomatic patient. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and especially the cosmetic result of this repair performed through a limited right anterolateral thoracotomy (RALT), with the complete cannulation and aortic cross-clamping conducted through the same incision.

Methods: From January 1980 to June 2001 in our hospital, 242 patients (210 female) with atrial septal defects and a mean age of 26.