A 16-year experience in minimally invasive aortic valve replacement: context for the changing management of aortic valve disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term morbidity and mortality in patients with aortic valve disease who had minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (AVR) through upper hemisternotomy.

Methods: From July 1996 to June 2012, a total of 1639 patients underwent minimally invasive aortic valve surgery (AVR). Patient data were extracted from hospital electronic records after institutional review board approval. Outcomes of interest included postoperative complication rates, perioperative mortality, and long-term survival.

Results: The mean age was 67 years (SD, 14 years; range, 22-95 years). Of the total cohort, 211 (13%) underwent reoperative AVR. Postoperatively, 2.3% (37/1639) had reoperations to correct bleeding, 2.7% (44/1639) had strokes, 20.4% (334/1639) had new-onset atrial fibrillation, and 1.5% (24/1639) required permanent pacemakers. Only 34% (571/1639) of the patients received packed red blood cells. The median discharge was on day 6 (5-8), and 72.2% of the patients (1184/1639) were discharged home. Operative mortality was 2.9% (48/1639), and long-term survival at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 96%, 93%, 92%, and 92%, respectively. Operative mortality was 5.7% (12/208) for the reoperative patients.

Conclusions: The upper hemisternotomy approach for AVR is safe and reliable, especially for patients undergoing reoperations and those older than 80 years.