Objective: To analyze and summarize the clinical safety and feasibility of minimally invasive video-assisted mitral valve replacement via a right thoracic minimal incision in patients aged over 65 years.
Methods: The clinical data of 45 patients over 65 years old who had mitral valve disease were analyzed retrospectively from January 2014 to January 2017 at Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University. The patients were divided into two groups; 20 patients in group A, who underwent minimally invasive video-assisted mitral valve replacement via a right thoracic minimal incision, and 25 patients in group B, who underwent conventional mitral valve replacement. We collected and analyzed their relevant clinical data.
Results: The operation was completed successfully in both groups. Compared with group B, group A was clearly superior for postoperative analgesia time, postoperative hospital length of stay, thoracic drainage liquid, blood transfusion, and length of incision. There were no differences between the two groups in postoperative severe complications and mortality. More patients in group B had pulmonary infections and poor incision healing, while more patients in group A had postoperative pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema.
Conclusion: In patients aged over 65 years, minimally invasive video-assisted mitral valve replacement with a small incision in the right chest had the same clinical safety and efficacy as the conventional method.
Keywords: Heart Valve Diseases; Length of Stay; Mitral Valve; Pneumothorax; Subcutaneous Emphysema; Thoracotomy.