Minimally invasive valve surgery: pushing boundaries over the eighty.

BACKGROUND: Mean age of patients with valves diseases is significantly increasing, and, in the near future, cardiac surgeons will have to deal with a considerable number of patients aged more than 80 years. The remarkable results gained by the minimally invasive approach have encouraged its application in more complex and fragile patients, such as older people. This study aimed to identify the rate of early mortality and major complications, and independent predictors for mid-term mortality in octogenarians undergoing minimally invasive valve surgery. METHODS: Octogenarian patients undergoing right mini-thoracotomy mitral and/or tricuspid valve surgery between 2006 and 2020 were included. Primary endpoint was to identify independent predictors for mid-term mortality, and secondary endpoints were operative morality, stroke, independent predictors for early composite outcome, and quality of life at follow-up. RESULTS: Analysis was performed on 130 patients. Stroke occurred in one patient (0.8%), while operative mortality was 6% (eight patients). One-year and five-year survival were 86% and 64%, respectively. Logistic regression identified age and creatinine level as independent predictors of mid-term mortality, survival analysis showed that age ≥ 84 years and creatinine level ≥ 1.22 mg/dL were the cut-off points for worst prognosis. Female gender and hypertension were found to be independent predictors of early composite outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study show that age alone should not be considered a contraindication for minimally invasive valve surgery. Identifying patients who are most likely to have survival and functional benefits after surgery is decisive to achieve optimal health outcomes and prevent futile procedures.

A rare case of papillary fibroelastoma involving the tricuspid valve. A single center experience over a period of 22 years (1999-2021).

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) represents only 16% of the benign cardiac tumor and approximately 15% of these are located on the tricuspid valve. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a period of 22 years (1999-2021) we observed 75 pts with cardiac tumors at our Center over 9650 pts operated on but only one case of a tricuspid valve PFE in a 69-year-old patient. Trans-thoracic echocardiography demonstrated a mobile mass (20 × 10 mm), adhering to the atrial side of the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve of unknown origin. In consideration of the mobility of the mass and the consequent high embolic risk, surgical removal was made. The patient underwent surgery through a median sternotomy on CPBP. A 'gelatinous' mass adhering to the tricuspid leaflet was found and completely removed. The postoperative course was uneventful. The pathological diagnosis was PFE. CONCLUSIONS: PFEs of the tricuspid valve are rare entities being in most cases found incidentally. In our experience, the incidence of this tumor in this location is 1/10,000 cases of cardiac surgery. Although most patients are asymptomatic, surgical treatment is nevertheless recommended in consideration of the high embolic risk.

Single-Dose St. Thomas Versus Custodiol® Cardioplegia for Right Mini-thoracotomy Mitral Valve Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Custodiol® and St. Thomas cardioplegia are widely employed in mini-thoracotomy mitral valve (MV) operations. One-dose of the former provides 3 h of myocardial protection. Conversely, St. Thomas solution is usually reinfused every 30 min and safety of single delivery is unknown. We aimed to compare single-shot St. Thomas versus Custodiol® cardioplegia. METHODS: Primary endpoint of the prospective observational study was cardiac troponin T level at different post-operative time-points. Propensity-weighted treatment served to adjust for confounding factors. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients receiving St. Thomas were compared with 25 patients receiving Custodiol® cardioplegia; cross-clamping always exceeded 45 min. No differences were found in postoperative markers of myocardial injury. Ventricular fibrillation at the resumption of electric activity was more frequent following Custodiol® cardioplegia (P = .01). CONCLUSION: Effective myocardial protection exceeding 1 h of ischemic arrest can be achieved with a single-dose St. Thomas cardioplegia in selected patients undergoing right mini-thoracotomy MV surgery.

Antegrade Perfusion for Mini-Thoracotomy Mitral Valve Surgery in Patients with Atherosclerotic Burden.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between retrograde arterial perfusion and stroke in patients with peripheral vascular disease has been widely documented. Antegrade arterial perfusion has been favoured as an alternative approach in less invasive mitral valve (MV) operations. We aimed to analyse our experience in patients with peripheral arterial disease undergoing MV surgery through a right mini-thoracotomy adopting antegrade arterial perfusion. METHOD: A single-institution retrospective study on prospectively collected data was performed on patients undergoing right mini-thoracotomy MV surgery with antegrade arterial perfusion. Since 2009, indication for the latter was dictated by the severity of atherosclerotic burden. Preoperative screening included computed tomography, angiography, or both for the evaluation of the aorta and ileo-femoral arteries. RESULTS: Consecutive patients (n=117) underwent MV surgery through a right mini-thoracotomy with antegrade arterial perfusion, established either by transthoracic central aortic cannulation in 65 (55.6%) cases or by axillary arterial cannulation in 52 (44.4%). Mean logistic EuroSCORE was 11%±2.3%. Twenty-five (25) (21.4%) patients had undergone one or more previous cardiac operations. Operative mortality was 4.3% (n=5). Nonfatal iatrogenic aortic dissection occurred in one case (0.8%). The incidence of stroke was zero. CONCLUSIONS: Axillary or central aortic cannulation is a promising alternative route to provide excellent arterial perfusion in right mini-thoracotomy MV surgery, with a very low incidence of stroke and other major perioperative complications in patients with severe aortic or peripheral arterial disease.

Endo-Aortic vs. Trans-Thoracic Clamping in Right Mini-Thoracotomy Mitral Valve Surgery: Outcome on Myocardial Protection.

Background: Perfusion strategies and aortic clamping techniques for right mini-thoracotomy mitral valve (MV) surgery have evolved over time and remarkable short- and long-term results have been reported. However, some concerns have raised about the adequacy of myocardial protection during the minimally invasive approach, particularly with the endo-aortic clamp (EAC). Aim of this study was to compare the efficacy, in terms of myocardial preservation, of the EAC with the trans-thoracic aortic clamp (TTC) in patients undergoing right mini-thoracotomy MV surgery. Methods: A single center, prospective observational study was performed on patients undergoing right mini-thoracotomy MV surgery with retrograde arterial perfusion and EAC or TTC. A propensity matched analysis was performed to compare the two groups. Primary outcome was the comparison between cardiac troponin T levels measured at different time-points after surgery. Results: Eighty EAC patients were compared with 37 TTC patients. No cases of myocardial infarction or low cardiac-output syndrome were overall reported. No differences were recorded in terms of stroke, peri-operative mortality, and in the release of myocardial markers, lactates levels and need for inotropic support at different time-points after surgery. CK-MB peak levels were significantly lower in the EAC group. Conclusion: Despite concerns arising about the EAC, this prospective study shows equivalence in terms of myocardial preservation of the EAC compared with the TTC in patients undergoing right mini-thoracotomy MV surgery.

Right mini-thoracotomy approach for grown-up congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Right mini-thoracotomy cardiac surgery has been recognized as a safe and effective procedure, with remarkable early and long-terms outcomes. However, most of the literature is focused on mitral valve surgery and few studies report on the minimally invasive approach applied to congenital disease. Aim of this study was to review our experience on patients with grown-up congenital heart (GUCH) undergoing right mini-thoracotomy cardiac surgery. METHODS: Data of patients with GUCH undergoing right mini-thoracotomy cardiac surgery from 2006 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria were atrial septal defect, partial anomalous pulmonary venous return, partial atrioventricular septal defect, and mitral or tricuspid valve dysfunction in congenital heart diseases. RESULTS: During the study period 127 patients with GUCH underwent right mini-thoracotomy cardiac surgery. Mean age was 43.6 years and more than 60% were females; diagnosis was atrial septal defect in 57 cases (44.9%); 24 patients were redo (18.9%). No cases of stroke and major vascular complications were reported. Conversion to sternotomy was required in one case (0.8%). No residual shunts or valves dysfunction were recorded at the postoperative echocardiographic evaluation. Perioperative mortality was 1.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Right mini-thoracotomy cardiac surgery in selected patients with GUCH allows to avoid the big scar of the sternotomy approach and to accelerate the recovery in a young population. Moreover, in redo cases, it allows the surgeon to reach the heart and the aorta avoiding the well-known risks of a re-sternotomy procedure.

Modified Danielson Technique for Prosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis and Aortoventricular Discontinuity.

Endocarditis is a devastating complication of prosthetic aortic valve replacement. The infective process can destroy aortic annulus tissue, making conventional surgical valve replacement difficult or impossible and causing aortoventricular discontinuity. Several treatment techniques have been proposed. One of these, the Danielson technique, involves translocating the aortic valve to the native ascending aorta, débriding the abscess cavity, closing the coronary ostia, and bypassing the coronary arteries with a Y anastomosis between 2 vein grafts. We describe our use of a modified Danielson technique in a 68-year-old man with advanced prosthetic valve endocarditis that was associated with aortic annulus destruction and aortoventricular discontinuity. This modified technique enables safer, more secure anchoring of a replacement valve, reduces the risks and concerns associated with bypass grafts, and successfully treats aortoventricular discontinuity.

Evidence of intimal tear in type A intramural hematoma of the aorta: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: Aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) is described as "dissection without intimal tear" due to rupture of vasa vasorum, which results in bleeding within the tunica media in the absence of intimal disruption or blood flow communication. The aim of our study is to validate perioperative evidence of intimal entry tear in patients with IMH and to suggest that this entity may represent a part of a disease and not a separate disease. PRESENTATION OF CASES: We report two patients admitted to our institution with sudden onset thoracic pain. A CT scan showed an aneurysm of the ascending aorta complicated by type A IMH. The patients underwent open operation. Surgical set-up has included right axillary artery as arterial inflow, no cross-clamp before hypothermic circulatory arrest and Kazui protocol for selective antegrade cerebral perfusion. We found no evidence of intimal flap, but we identified an intimal tear in both patients. A hemiarch procedure associated with root replacement, using two-grafts techniques was performed in both cases. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patients were discharged home. DISCUSSION: Recent data are emerging from the radiologic literature about the evidence of intimal lesions in IMH, but surgical reports are scant. The evidence of intimal tears contributes to consider as questionable the etiological role of vasa vasorum and it may justify updates in the management. CONCLUSION: We consider that IMH may represent a part of a disease (aortic dissection), depicted by radiological images in a specific single instant of its clinical evolution.

Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography for Surgical Repair of Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

BACKGROUND: Segmental analysis of diseased mitral valves is important to predict a successful surgical valve repair. An assessment was made of the comparative accuracy of intraoperative three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the evaluation of mitral valve lesions when compared with intraoperative surgical segmental analysis. METHODS: A total of 42 consecutive patients (12 females, 30 males; mean age 70.5 ± 14 years) with severe mitral valve regurgitation due to degenerative disease and who underwent mitral valve repair was enrolled in the study. Complete 2D- and 3D-TEE were performed before surgery. The findings obtained using the different echocardiographic techniques were compared with intraoperative segmental analysis performed by a single operator who was blinded to the 2D- and 3D-TEE findings until the end of the inspection. The sensitivity and specificity of echocardiographic evaluations of involved scallops were compared with surgical inspection. RESULTS: 3D-TEE allowed an accurate identification of all mitral lesions. Thirty-three patients had simple lesions at 3D-TEE and underwent a simple surgical procedure, while nine patients had complex lesions; in these latter cases complex surgical procedures were performed. 3D-TEE showed more sensitivity than 2D-TEE in the analysis of the anterior leaflet (A), in particular for A3 lesion (100% versus 25%, p <0.001) and for complex lesion (100% versus 33.3%, p <0.009). CONCLUSIONS: 3D-TEE allowed a more accurate identification of mitral valve lesions compared with 2D-TEE. The greatest accuracy was achieved for analysis of the anterior leaflet. 3D-TEE should be regarded as an important adjunct to standard 2D-TEE in decisions regarding mitral valve repair.