Right anterior mini-thoracotomy as first-line strategy for isolated aortic valve replacement: a retrospective study.

Background: Minimally invasive procedures are increasingly implemented in aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgeries to minimize surgical trauma and achieve early patient recovery. We aimed to compare between short- and mid-term outcomes for isolated AVR using the representative minimally invasive approaches of right anterior mini-thoracotomy (RAMT) and partial upper sternotomy [J-sternotomy (JS)].

Methods: Patients (n=832) who had undergone surgical AVR between March 2009 and September 2022 were included. We retrospectively examined and compared data from these two minimally invasive approaches, and performed propensity score matching to account for differences in patient baseline characteristics. Early outcomes and late mortality were compared between the matched groups.

Results: After applying exclusion criteria, the study comprised 315 patients who underwent RAMT and 92 who underwent JS. Patients who underwent JS had more comorbidities, compared with those who underwent RAMT. Propensity score matching of 16 variables yielded similar groups for comparison (n=90). Thirty-day mortality was similar between the two groups (0% vs. 1%, respectively; P>0.99). In the RAMT group, the rate of on-table extubation was significantly higher (P<0.001), whereas the blood transfusion rate was lower and length of stay was shorter, compared with the JS group. The 5-year survival rate was higher in the RAMT group than in the JS group (95.0% vs. 85.6%, respectively; P=0.03).

Conclusions: AVR via RAMT was associated with improved early clinical outcomes, shorter length of stay, and increased survival, compared with JS. Despite the technical challenges associated with RAMT, this procedure can be considered a primary strategy for isolated AVR.