[Aortic Valve Replacement through an Upper Hemisternotomy in an Eldery Patient with Heart Failure:Report of a Case].

ABSTRACT

Cardiac surgery for elder patients should be minimally invasive because of their frailty and concomitant multiple chronic diseases. We performed aortic valve replacement (AVR) via upper hemisternotomy (UHS) on an 85-year-old patient who suffered from severe aortic regurgitation with dobutamine support. The postoperative course was uneventful. AVR via UHS is safer than that via right axiallary thoracotomy AVR with shorter aortic cross-clamp time, shorter cardiopulmonary bypass time and fewer complications. AVR via UHS makes ambulation and rehabilitation easier than AVR via full sternotomy, because of thoracic stability. It is more effective and should be more prevalent as minimally invasive cardiac surgery for eldery patients with frailty.