Minimally invasive pediatric surgery in uncomplicated congenital heart disease

• Published in: Asian cardiovascular & thoracic annals 2013-08, Vol.21 (4), p.414-417
• Main Authors: Cingoz, Faruk, Tavlasoglu, Murat, Sahin, Mehmet Ali, Kurkluoglu, Mustafa, Guler, Adem, Günay, Celalettin, Arslan, Mehmet
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiac Surgical Procedures - adverse effects; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial - diagnosis; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial - surgery; Humans; Length of Stay; Male; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; Operative Time; Pericardium - transplantation; Retrospective Studies; Sternotomy; Suture Techniques; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0218-4923; 1816-5370
• DOI: 10.1177/0218492312454669

Background:We aimed to highlight the use of a minimally invasive approach in uncomplicated congenital heart surgery. Patients and methods:We investigated retrospectively 32 children below 10 years of age who underwent elective closure of ostium secundum type (n = 27), sinus venosus type (n = 4) and ostium primum type (n = 1) atrial septal defects through a limited skin incision and partial lower sternotomy between August 2001 and December 2008. All patients had cannulation through the same incision for cardiopulmonary bypass. Results:A pericardial patch was used to close the defect in 8 patients and direct suturing in 24. The mean time from the skin incision to cannulation was 56 ± 23 min. Total bypass time was 27 ± 12 min, and crossclamp time was 15 ± 8 min. Mean length of hospital stay was 4 ± 2 days. We did not encounter any complications or mortality. Conclusions:A minimally invasive approach, consisting of a limited skin incision and partial lower sternotomy, is a safe, reliable, and cosmetically advantageous method in uncomplicated congenital heart disease surgery, which can be performed widely, and may replace the standard approach without increasing mortality and morbidity.