Partial median sternotomy as a minimal access for the closure of subarterial ventricular septal defect. Feasibility of transpulmonary approach

Minimally access via left anterior mini-thoracotomy for repair of adult subarterial ventricular septal defects

Background

Minimally invasive cardiac surgical techniques are increasingly applied in the treatment and management of a variety of adult ventricular septal defects (VSDs). However, repair of adult subarterial VSDs via left anterior mini-thoracotomy is rarely reported. The present study aimed to determine the feasibility and safety of the left anterior mini-thoracotomy for the repair of adult subarterial VSDs.

Methods

Twenty-seven adult patients underwent repair of subarterial VSDs via left anterior mini-thoracotomy. The approach includes two options for skin incision access, longitudinal and transverse skin incisions. The skin incision length was 4.1–6.1 cm (mean, 5.1 ± 0.6 cm). The closure of the VSDs was obtained through the main pulmonary artery under direct visualization.

Results

Successful repair of the defects was achieved in all the patients. No patients died or converted to median sternotomy. Average durations of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic cross-clamp were 102.5 ± 13.6 min (range, 85–127 min) and 54.6 ± 6.9 min (range, 45–66 min), respectively. No patients required blood transfusion. The average postoperative hospital stay was 5.1 ± 0.7 days (range, 4–6 days). There were no postoperative complications related to the operative procedures or peripheral cannulation. During the follow-up of 5.4–32.3 months, no patients were found to have residual shunt, wound infections, pericardial effusion, neurologic or other complications.

Conclusion

Our experiences demonstrate that minimally invasive cardiac surgical technique via left anterior mini-thoracotomy can be served as a novel, feasible and safe alternative for the repair of adult subarterial VSDs.

Sternal closure with reabsorbable pin and cord in pediatric less invasive cardiac surgery

In pediatric less invasive cardiac surgery, we recently closed a patient's sternum using reabsorbable radiolucent poly-(L-lactide) acid sternal pins together with multifilament polydioxanone cord after a lower partial median sternotomy. This combination completely prevents postoperative sternal deformity, and leaves no radiopaque material identifiable radiographically, which is a significant cosmetic benefit.

Minimal access surgery for the repair of simple congenital heart defects: factors affecting hospital stay after surgery

OBJECTIVE

We reviewed our experience of minimal access surgery to elucidate the efficacy and safety of this approach and determine the factors affecting hospital stay.

METHODS

Seventy-seven patients (age, 11.8 +/- 11.0 years), with body weight of more than 10 kg, were operated using various forms of minimal access approach for repair of simple congenital heart defects [atrial septal defect (ASD) in 40, ventricular septal defect in 37]. These included lower partial sternotomy (n = 68) and mini-thoracotomy (n = 9, ASD only) with limited skin incision of 4-11 cm. The anesthetic protocol was modified to wean all patients from ventilator soon after operation. The protocol of discharge from hospital (critical pass) was 14 days in the early period (n = 30) and 10 days in the late period (n = 47).

RESULTS

There were no hospital or late death, and no hospital re-admission. None of patients required blood transfusion. The endotracheal tube was extubated in the operating room in 48 cases (62%). Twenty-four patients (31%) failed to fulfill conditions of the critical pass. Univariate analysis of factors affecting unfavorably the critical pass demonstrated that the median approach, retention of pericardial effusion and social reasons were statistically significant, while an opened pleura and aortic cross-clamp time were marginally significant. Multivariate analysis indicated that the retention of pericardial effusion was the only significant factor that failed critical pass [p = 0.007, odds ratio (OR) 5.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.61 -19.8]. In addition, a pericardio-pleural fenestration was the only significant factor that affected favorably the pericardial effusion (p = 0.035, OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.47-0.89) by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience demonstrated that minimal access surgery of the simple congenital heart defects provided excellent cosmetic results. Retention of pericardial effusion, possibly due to pericarditis, was a major risk factor of the prolonged hospital stay. The pericardio-pleural fenestration could reduce the risk of retention of effusion.

Reducing the trauma of congenital heart surgery

While describing the circulatory system in De Moto Cordis, in 1628, William Harvey developed precepts for investigation, which could be modified slightly to guide the adoption of new technology and technique in the twenty-first century. Harvey might suggest (1) careful and accurate observation and description of a new technique, (2) a tentative explanation of how the technique improves on existing techniques, (3) a controlled testing of the hypothesis, and (4) conclusions based on the results of the experiments. Also, he might admonish surgery today, with its massively enhanced capabilities for information management, to rigorously test the validity of these conclusions with quantitative reasoning. In the future, precise measurement of the "trauma" of surgery, or even an individual surgeon, may be possible, and the long-term impact of a chest wall incision on a patient's self-esteem may be predictable. Absent such objective measures, justifications for "minimally invasive" deviations from conventional technique in surgery for CHD lack substance. Morbidity, mortality, and physiological endpoints will continue to form the foundation for therapeutic plans; however, the potential for emerging technology to reduce the trauma of these plans remains tantalizing.