Stroke after aortic valve surgery: results from a prospective cohort.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and impact of clinical stroke and silent radiographic cerebral infarction complicating open surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) are poorly characterized. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a prospective cohort study of subjects ≥65 years of age who were undergoing AVR for calcific aortic stenosis. Subjects were evaluated by neurologists preoperatively and postoperatively and underwent postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Over a 4-year period, 196 subjects were enrolled at 2 sites (mean age, 75.8±6.2 years; 36% women; 6% nonwhite). Clinical strokes were detected in 17%, transient ischemic attack in 2%, and in-hospital mortality was 5%. The frequency of stroke in the Society for Thoracic Surgery database in this cohort was 7%. Most strokes were mild; the median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 3 (interquartile range, 1-9). Clinical stroke was associated with increased length of stay (median, 12 versus 10 days; P=0.02). Moderate or severe stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≥10) occurred in 8 (4%) and was strongly associated with in-hospital mortality (38% versus 4%; P=0.005). Of the 109 stroke-free subjects with postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, silent infarct was identified in 59 (54%). Silent infarct was not associated with in-hospital mortality or increased length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical stroke after AVR was more common than reported previously, more than double for this same cohort in the Society for Thoracic Surgery database, and silent cerebral infarctions were detected in more than half of the patients undergoing AVR. Clinical stroke complicating AVR is associated with increased length of stay and mortality.

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery utilizing heart port technology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine operative outcomes of right mini-thoracotomy mitral valve surgery utilizing port access technology in first-time and reoperative cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: From 2002 to 2011, 881 patients underwent minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. Of these, 154 patients had previous cardiac operations via sternotomy (Group 1), of which 18 (12%) had two previous operations. Seven hundred and twenty-seven patients had no previous cardiac operations (Group 2). RESULTS: Patient demographics were similar in both groups. In Group 1, 76 (49%) patients had previous coronary artery bypass grafting, 13 (8%) had previous aortic valve surgery, and 57 (37%) had previous mitral valve surgery. Preoperative echo findings for Groups 1 and 2 included severe mitral regurgitation (MR) (88%, n = 135; 94%, n = 687), mitral stenosis (MS) (4%, n = 6; 2%, n = 12), MS + MR (8%, n = 13; 4%, n = 28), and ejection fraction (48%, 56%). Operative procedures in Groups 1 and 2 were MV repair (54%, n = 84; 89%, n = 645) and MV replacement (46%, n = 70; 11%, n = 82). Circulatory management techniques for Groups 1 and 2 included endoballoon (75%, n = 116; 79%, n = 576), Chitwood clamp (8%, n = 12; 20%, n = 147), and fibrillatory arrest (17%, n = 30; 0.5%, n = 4). Perioperative outcomes were: stroke: 2.5%, 1.6%; reoperation for bleeding: 5%, 6%; valvular reoperation rate: 0.6%, 2%; aortic dissection: 2.5%, 1%; and wound infection: 0%, 0%. Transfusion requirement was 49% (n = 76) and 31% (n = 232), respectively. Median hospital stay was seven and seven days, respectively. On postoperative echocardiography, 98% (n = 151) and 99% (n = 718) of patients had zero or trace MR (1+) with 100% freedom from MR > 2+. In-hospital mortality was 3% (n = 5) and 1% (n = 8). CONCLUSIONS: Operative outcomes with minimally invasive mitral valve surgery utilizing port access technology can be performed safely. Stroke rate was higher in the reoperative cases (p = NS) although similar to reports evaluating redo sternotomy in mitral valve cases.

Validation study of Doppler-derived transmitral valve gradients compared to near simultaneously obtained directly measured catheter gradients immediately after mitral valve repair surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of Doppler-derived transmitral valve gradients immediately after mitral valve repair by comparing them with near simultaneously obtained direct catheter gradients. DESIGN: A prospective study. SETTING: A tertiary care medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty elective adult surgical patients presenting for mitral valve repair surgery. METHODS: Mitral valve surgery proceeded in standard fashion except for the use of a smaller than usual left ventricular vent catheter (Medtronic DLP 10 French left heart vent catheter). After completion of the mitral valve repair and subsequent cardiac de-airing, the patient was weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. Immediately after separation, the study period began. Near simultaneous transmitral Doppler gradients were obtained with directly measured catheter gradients via the vent catheter. RESULTS: While the mean peak gradient difference of 1.1 mmHg was small (p-value 0.18, 95% CI: -0.54 to 2.73 mmHg), the correlation between Doppler and catheter gradient measurements (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.54, p = 0.055) only approached statistical significance due to the large variance associated with the small sample size. In all patients with a peak gradient greater than 10 mmHg (4 of the 20 patients), overestimation of catheter gradients by Doppler occurred, with two showing a 62% to 73% discrepancy. In these two cases, there was also evidence for elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) along with high transmitral blood flow velocities. CONCLUSION: Doppler-derived transmitral gradients provide a simple, safe, and reliable measure of the true physiologic transmitral valve gradient. At the same time, it is important to recognize that significant Doppler over-estimation of catheter gradients may occur in patients with elevated Doppler transmitral velocities. The causes of these overestimations are unknown. They may be related to technical recording errors. They may also be related to an inherent weakness in Doppler technology--its inability to account for any distal recovery of pressure, which in a select group of patients could be significant.

Robotic and endoscopic mitral valve repair for degenerative disease.

Background: Minimally invasive mitral valve repair has been proven to be a safe alternative to open sternotomy and may be accomplished through classic endoscopic and robotic endoscopic approaches. Outcomes across different minimally invasive techniques have been insufficiently described. We compare early and late clinical outcomes across matched patients undergoing robotic endoscopic and classic endoscopic repair. Methods: From 2011 to 2020, 786 patients underwent minimally invasive mitral surgery, from which we were able to generate 124 matched patients (62 patients in each cohort). Clinical results were then compared between the two matched populations. Survival analysis was used to compare freedom from mortality to 10 years among matched classic endoscopic and robotic endoscopic mitral valve repair cohorts and to calculate freedom from moderate or severe mitral insufficiency at latest follow-up. Histograms of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic cross-clamp times were constructed, and mean bypass and cross-clamp times were compared between classic endoscopic and robotic endoscopic cohorts. Results: There was no difference in early or late mortality at 10 years in either cohort. Freedom from moderate or severe mitral regurgitation or mitral valve replacement at last echocardiogram was 86.4% vs. 73.5% at 10 years, P=0.97. Patients undergoing robotic endoscopic mitral repair had a significantly longer CPB run when compared to the classic endoscopic cohort, with 148 min of CPB in the robotic endoscopic cohort compared to 133 min in the classic endoscopic group, P=0.03. Overall post-operative length of stay was not statistically significant between the robotic endoscopic and classic endoscopic groups, 6.3±0.5 and 6.0±0.3 days, respectively. No patients in either cohort developed renal failure or wound infection. The classic endoscopic group had a slightly higher risk of prolonged ventilation when compared to the robotic endoscopic group, with three classic endoscopic patients remaining intubated >8 hours post-operatively, compared to a single patient in the robotic endoscopic group. There were no unplanned reoperations in either group. Rates of postoperative stroke were comparable between groups (three in the classic endoscopic cohort, and two in the robotic endoscopic cohort). Conclusions: Index mitral valve surgery via a classic endoscopic approach yields similar clinical outcomes when compared to robotic endoscopic surgery. We demonstrate that both classic endoscopic and robotic endoscopic approaches allow repair of degenerative mitral valves with excellent short- and medium-term outcomes in a tertiary referral center.

Repair of Isolated Native Mitral Valve Endocarditis: A Propensity Matched Study.

In the setting of chronic primary mitral regurgitation, the benefit of mitral valve repair over replacement is well established. However, data comparing outcomes for mitral valve surgery for endocarditis is limited. We sought to determine whether mitral valve repair offers traditional advantages over replacement in the endocarditis population. Retrospective review of our institutional mitral valve database (N = 8,181) was performed between 1998 and 2019 for all adult patients undergoing isolated mitral valve surgery for endocarditis. Patients were stratified by mitral valve repair or replacement and propensity score matching was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics and degree of valve damage. Overall, 267 surgeries (124 repair, 153 replacement) met inclusion criteria during the study period. Following propensity matching, the repair cohort was associated with shorter initial ventilator times (5.6 vs 7.9 hours, p = 0.05), shorter ICU (28 vs 52 hours, p = 0.03), and hospital lengths of stays (7 vs 11 days, p < 0.01). Thirty-day mortality (0% vs 2.1%, p = 0.01) and 10-year survival (88% vs 86%, p = 0.55) were similar between cohorts. Patients in the repair cohort were less likely to require repeat mitral valve intervention at our institution for recurrent endocarditis than those in the replacement cohort (0% vs 10.6%, p = 0.03). Mitral valve repair is safe, when feasible, in the setting of isolated native valve endocarditis and may provide patients faster recovery. Experienced mitral surgeons should approach this patient population with a "repair if feasible" methodology.

Coronary Endarterectomy: Analysis of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database.

BACKGROUND: Coronary endarterectomy (CE) is an uncommon and often unplanned technique used to approach difficult targets during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We evaluated the outcomes of CABG with CE (CE-CABG) using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database. METHODS: All isolated, first-time, elective or urgent CABG cases from July 2011 to September 2019 in the Adult Cardiac Surgery Database were retrospectively reviewed. Because of a higher risk profile in the patients undergoing CE-CABG, we performed propensity score matching. Primary outcomes included operative mortality and postoperative myocardial infarction. For patients ≥65 years, long-term mortality and rehospitalization were evaluated using linked data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. RESULTS: Of the total 1 111 792 patients included, 32 164 (2.9%) had CE-CABG and 1 079 628 (97.1%) underwent CABG alone. The majority of CE-CABG involved a single-vessel endarterectomy (86.9%; n = 27 945); the left anterior descending was most common (40.9%; n = 13 161). Compared with propensity score-matched CABG, CE-CABG had increased operative mortality (3.2% vs 1.7%; P < .0001; odds ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.63-2.01) and postoperative myocardial infarction (6.8% vs 3.9%; P < .0001; odds ratio, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.68-1.93). CE-CABG had higher risk of mortality in the first year and rehospitalization for myocardial infarction in the first 3 years but was comparable to CABG alone thereafter. Subgroup analysis showed no difference between CE-CABG of the left anterior descending compared with CE-CABG of other coronary arteries. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrates that CE-CABG has acceptable long-term outcomes and serves as a benchmark for what can be expected when this rare procedure is used.

Mitral Valve Surgery in Pulmonary Hypertension Patients: Is Minimally Invasive Surgery Safe?

BACKGROUND: Compared with conventional full sternotomy (FS) approaches, minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) offers improved cosmesis, decreased pain and bleeding, and faster recovery without compromising repair or survival rates. However, little is known about outcomes in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Retrospective review was performed between 2002 and 2019 for all adult patients undergoing isolated mitral valve surgery. Patients with PH (mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25 mm Hg) were stratified by FS or MIMVS, and nearest-neighbor propensity score matching was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Overall, 591 operations (317 MIMVS, 274 FS) met inclusion criteria during the study period. Nearest-neighbor propensity matching generated 112 well-matched pairs. Cardiopulmonary bypass (137 vs 89.5 minutes, P < .001), cross-clamp (102 vs 63 minutes, P < .001), and total operative times (241 vs 178.5 minutes, P < .001) were longer for the MIMVS group. Postoperatively, MIMVS was associated with shorter initial ventilator times (6 vs 9.6 hours, P < .001) and hospital lengths of stay (7 vs 8 days, P = .049), as well as blood product usage rates (26.8% vs 41.1%, P = .03). Survival at 30 days (0.0% vs 2.7%, P = .12) and 10 years (log-rank, P = .661) were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: MIMVS is safe in patients with PH and provides traditional benefits of minimally invasive surgery, including shorter initial ventilator times and hospital length of stay, without compromising on long-term survival.

Permanent pacemaker implantation following mitral valve surgery: a retrospective cohort study of risk factors and long-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Conduction disturbances requiring permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation remain a complication following valvular surgery. PPMs confer the risk of infection, tricuspid valve regurgitation and pacing-induced cardiomyopathy. Literature examining PPM placement in mitral valve surgery (MVS) is limited. METHODS: Our institutional mitral valve (MV) database was retrospectively reviewed for adult patients undergoing surgery from 2011 to 2019. Patients with preoperative PPM were excluded. Patients were stratified by the receipt of PPM following their index operations. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine patient and operative risk factors for PPM. Subgroup analysis was performed on patients who underwent isolated MVS. Kaplan-Meier analysis and a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model were utilized to assess the association between PPM implantation and long-term survival. RESULTS: A total of 3391 (2991 non-PPM and 400 PPM) patients met the study criteria. Significant predictors of PPM included increased decade of age (odds ratio: 1.23; 95% confidence interval: 1.12-1.35), concomitant aortic (1.44; 1.10-1.90) and tricuspid valve procedures (2.21; 1.64-2.97) and prior history of myocardial infarction (1.48; 1.07-1.86). In the isolated MV repair population, annuloplasty with ring prosthesis was associated with PPM (3.09; 1.19-8.02). Patients in the replacement population did not have significant identifiable risk factors. There was no survival difference found, and postoperative PPM placement was not found to be an independent predictor of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our primary aim was to elucidate predictors for PPM implantation in MVS and found increasing age and concomitant procedures to be risk factors. Receipt of PPM is associated with worse long-term survival but does not independently predict survival. Among patients undergoing isolated MV repair, use of an annuloplasty ring confers a higher risk of PPM compared to an annuloplasty band.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with cardiac arrest following cardiac surgery: new variants of an unusual syndrome.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is increasingly being recognized in the perioperative period. To date, there have been only three previous cases involving cardiac surgery reported and this represents the fourth case. The precise mechanism remains elusive, and there is no definitive management strategy. It appears that the syndromes course in cardiac surgical patients is self-limited. This syndrome must now be considered in the differential diagnosis of postcardiotomy cardiac failure.

Valve Selection in End-Stage Renal Disease: Should It Always Be Biological?

BACKGROUND: When valve replacement is required in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), it is not clear if mechanical or bioprosthetic valve selection is better. We compared outcomes between ESRD patients who underwent either mechanical or biologic valve replacements at our institution. METHODS: All patients with ESRD who underwent either mitral or aortic valve replacement from 2002 to 2014 at our institution were reviewed (n = 215; mechanical = 64, biological = 151). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to test the hypothesis that a mechanical valve was correlated with improved long-term survival. Among patients younger than 65 years (n = 123) we also compared survival with the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Similar unadjusted survival was found for patients who received either a bioprosthetic or mechanical valve (log-rank p = 0.55). Survival is clearly attenuated in this patient population, with only about half the patients younger than 65 years surviving beyond 2 years. In the proportional hazards model, a mechanical valve was not correlated with improved survival even when controlled for other variables, including shock, endocarditis, mitral valve replacement, and patient age (95% confidence interval for hazard ratio of mechanical valve: 0.64 to 1.62). CONCLUSIONS: It appears that there is minimal difference in survival after operation for ESRD patients who undergo bioprosthetic or mechanical valve replacement, even in patients younger than 65 years. The attenuated survival of the ESRD population after valve replacement makes the increased burden of anticoagulation (particularly in hemodialysis patients) unattractive. It is likely that only a small portion of ESRD patients benefit from the increased durability of a mechanical valve.

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is associated with equivalent cost and shorter hospital stay when compared with traditional sternotomy.

OBJECTIVE: Mitral valve surgery is increasingly performed through minimally invasive approaches. There are limited data regarding the cost of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. Moreover, there are no data on the specific costs associated with mitral valve surgery. We undertook this study to compare the costs (total and subcomponent) of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery relative to traditional sternotomy. METHODS: All isolated mitral valve repairs performed in our health system from March 2012 through September 2013 were analyzed. To ensure like sets of patients, only those patients who underwent isolated mitral valve repairs with preoperative Society of Thoracic Surgeons scores of less than 4 were included in this study. A total of 159 patients were identified (sternotomy, 68; mini, 91). Total incurred direct cost was obtained from hospital financial records. RESULTS: Analysis demonstrated no difference in total cost (operative and postoperative) of mitral valve repair between mini and sternotomy ($25,515 ± $7598 vs $26,049 ± $11,737; P = .74). Operative costs were higher for the mini cohort, whereas postoperative costs were significantly lower. Postoperative intensive care unit and total hospital stays were both significantly shorter for the mini cohort. There were no differences in postoperative complications or survival between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery can be performed with overall equivalent cost and shorter hospital stay relative to traditional sternotomy. There is greater operative cost associated with minimally invasive mitral valve surgery that is offset by shorter intensive care unit and hospital stays.

Direct innominate artery cannulation: An alternate technique for antegrade cerebral perfusion during aortic hemiarch reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: We describe an alternate technique for establishing antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) during hypothermic circulatory arrest via direct, central cannulation of the innominate artery. METHODS: From 2009 to 2015, 100 elective hemiarch reconstructions for proximal aortic aneurysms were performed under moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest (MHCA). Cerebral perfusion was instituted with ACP via direct cannulation of the innominate artery. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 63 ± 13 years (72 men; 72%). Mean MHCA temperature was 27.3°C ± 1.0°C (median, 28°C). Mean ACP time was 17 ± 4 minutes and mean crossclamp time was 134 ± 42 minutes. Proximal reconstruction included root replacement with composite valved graft (n = 47), valve sparing root reimplantation (n = 16), and aortic valve replacement (n = 19). In-hospital 30-day mortality (n = 1; 1%), stroke (1; 1%), reversible ischemic neurologic deficit (n = 1; 1%), coma (n = 0), and renal failure (n = 1; 1%) rates were low. There was no incidence of injury or dissection of the innominate artery. CONCLUSIONS: Direct, central innominate artery cannulation for ACP yields excellent outcomes. This technique is safe, provides excellent cerebral protection during circulatory arrest and simplifies the circulatory management strategy for elective ascending aortic and hemiarch reconstruction.

The Impact of Deep Versus Moderate Hypothermia on Postoperative Kidney Function After Elective Aortic Hemiarch Repair.

BACKGROUND: There remains concern that moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest (MHCA) with antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) may provide suboptimal distal organ protection compared with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) with retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP). We compared postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in in patients who underwent elective hemiarch repair with either DHCA/RCP or MHCA/ACP. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all patients undergoing elective aortic hemiarch reconstruction for aneurysmal disease between 2009 and 2014. Patients were stratified according to the use of DHCA/RCP versus MHCA/ACP. The primary outcome was the occurrence of AKI at 48 hours, as defined by the Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage (RIFLE ) criteria. A multivariable logistic regression identified risk factors for AKI. RESULTS: One hundred eighteen patients who underwent ACP and 471 patients who underwent RCP were included. The mean lowest temperature was 26.4°C in patients who underwent MHCA/ACP and 17.5°C in patients who underwent DHCA/RCP. Baseline demographics were similar except that patients who underwent DHCA/RCP were more likely to have peripheral arterial disease or bicuspid aortic valves. Cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were shorter in the MHCA/ACP group. AKI occurred in 19 (16.2%) patients who underwent MHCA/ACP and 67 (14.3%) patients who underwent DHCA/RCP. Four (0.8%) patients who underwent DHCA/RCP required postoperative dialysis. In-hospital mortality tended to increase with increasing RIFLE classification (RIFLE class-0 (No AKI) = 0.41%; Risk = 1.35%, and Injury = 10.0%; p = 0.09). On multivariable analysis, the lowest temperature and cerebral perfusion strategy were not significant predictors of AKI. Lower baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR), lower preoperative ejection fraction, and longer cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time were independently associated with higher AKI. CONCLUSIONS: We applied the sensitive RIFLE criteria to examine AKI in patients undergoing elective aortic hemiarch replacement for aneurysmal disease. Baseline renal dysfunction, lower ejection fraction, and longer CPB time are independent predictors of AKI. Compared with DHCA/RCP, our data suggest that an MHCA/ACP cerebral protection strategy does not appear to be associated with worse postoperative renal outcomes.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery III: Training and Robotic-Assisted Approaches.

Minimally invasive mitral valve operations are increasingly common in the United States, but robotic-assisted approaches have not been widely adopted for a variety of reasons. This expert opinion reviews the state of the art and defines best practices, training, and techniques for developing a successful robotics program.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery I: Patient Selection, Evaluation, and Planning.

Widespread adoption of minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement may be fostered by practice consensus and standardization. This expert opinion, first of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices in patient evaluation and selection for minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and discusses preoperative planning for cannulation and myocardial protection.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery II: Surgical Technique and Postoperative Management.

Techniques for minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement continue to evolve. This expert opinion, the second of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices for nonrobotic, minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and for postoperative care after minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.

Minimally Invasive Port Access Approach for Reoperations on the Mitral Valve.

BACKGROUND: In patients requiring a second-time or more operation on the mitral valve (MV), we assessed whether the outcomes of the minimally invasive port access approach (port access group) were equivalent to those of the traditional redo sternotomy approach (redo sternotomy group). METHODS: In a retrospective review (1998-2011), 409 patients had previous MV operations requiring a second-time or more MV reintervention. Of those, 67 patients had the port access approach, and 342 had the redo sternotomy approach. Of the latter, 220 met the inclusion criteria because emergencies, patients with endocarditis, and those requiring concomitant procedures involving aortic valve and aorta were excluded. RESULTS: New York Heart Association class 2 or above, age, atrial fibrillation, and surgical indications were similar in both groups. The port access group had more patients with previous MV repair (78% [n = 52] vs 41% [n = 90], p < 0.01) than with MV replacement (19% [n = 13) vs 53% [n = 116], p < 0.01). Concomitant procedures were similar (20% [n = 14] vs 27% [n = 59], p = 0.4). The MV re-repair rates were similar (19% [n = 10] vs 22% [n = 20], p = 1). The cardiopulmonary bypass times (153 ± 42 minutes vs 172 ± 83 minutes, p = 0.07) and aortic cross-clamping times (104 ± 38 minutes versus 130 ± 71 minutes, p < 0.01) were lower in the port access group. Mortality was lower in the port access group, although not significantly (3.0% [n = 2] vs 6.0% [n = 13], p = 0.5). The rates of postoperative stroke were similar (3.0% [n = 2] vs 3.2% [n = 7], p = 1). On postoperative echocardiography, freedom from mitral regurgitation >2+ was 100% in the port access group and 99% in the redo sternotomy group. The mean hospital length of stay was 11 ± 15 days versus 14 ± 12 days (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: The port access approach can be safely adopted for reoperations on the MV without compromising postoperative mortality or MV function.