Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement: Is It Now the Best Surgical Approach?

Abstract

Full sternotomy aortic valve replacement has been the gold standard for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. Now transcatheter aortic valve implantation is becoming a new procedure that has shown its efficacy in a high risk population with aortic stenosis. Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, using a 7-9 centimeters incision with an upper sternotomy tries to obtain the advantages and open surgical field and the less aggression of transcatheter procedures. We review the pros and cons of the minimally invasive aortic valve replacement updating the information obtained in the literature.