Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement is not just a matter of the incision, but it should be rather considered as a holistic approach to minimize surgical trauma: our technique aims to reproduce the gold-standard conventional procedure in terms of safety, effectiveness and operative time through a small and different incision; furthermore with a thorough optimization of the procedure, the surgical time can be at least equal to the classic approach. We introduced our approach about 10 years ago; after more than 1000 aortic valve replacement via right anterior mini-thoracotomy, we developed with some tips and tricks in the attempt of turning this technique into our choice approach. Indeed, it is our belief that a highly standardized technique is pivotal to perform a safe and valuable procedure.

The Perceval Valve is a true sutureless aortic bioprosthesis. Overall, excellent performances have been demonstrated in terms of hemodynamic outcomes, safety and versatility of use; furthermore, as a sutureless valve option, it has shown to reduce the surgical burden, shortening the operative times and simplifying minimally invasive procedures. Since the valve has got a high frame profile, the recommended implantation technique requires a high and transverse aortotomy. In case of unplanned Perceval valve implantation, when an extended aortotomy is required, we have come up with a simple technique to reshape the aortic root before the valve is delivered in place: symmetry is pivotal to prevent folding issues and to improve the annular sealing. Although we discuss an out-of-recommendation use, in our experience that technique has shown to be safe and effective.

Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement is not just a metric of the incision, but rather a holistic approach to minimize the surgical trauma: the technique should reproduce the gold-standard conventional procedure in terms of safety, effectiveness and operative times through a small and different incision. Moreover, the procedure should be simple and reproducible in every Center all over the world. In our experience, we rely more on surgical skills and technique optimization, rather than CT-scan planning: definitely, the pre-operative imaging is helpful in the beginning of the experience to rule out difficult cases.

Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement is not just a metric of the incision, but rather a holistic approach to minimize the surgical trauma: our technique tries to reproduce the gold-standard conventional procedure in terms of safety, effectiveness and operative times through a small and different incision. Thanks to a thorough optimization, the surgical times can be at least equal to the classic approach. We started this technique about 10 years ago and after more than 1000 of aortic valve replacement via right anterior mini-thoracotomy, we came up with some tips&tricks to make this technique our approach of choice.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a pandemic: it took a toll of more than 300.000 deaths and more than 4.5 million cases, worldwide. The initial data pointed out the tight bond between cardiovascular diseases and worse outcomes in COVID19-patients. Epidemiologically speaking, there is an overlap between the age-groups more affected by COVID-related death and the age-groups in which Cardiac Surgery has its usual base of patients. The Cardiac Surgery Departments have to think to a new normal: since the virus will remain endemic in the society, dedicated pathways or even dedicated Teams are pivotal to treat safely the patients, in respect of the safety of the health care workers. Moreover, we need a keen eye on deciding which pathologies have to be treated with priority: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) showed a higher mortality rate in patients affected by COVID19, but it’s however reasonable to think that all the cardiac pathologies affecting the lung circulation - such as symptomatic severe mitral diseases or aortic stenosis - might deserve a priority access to treatment, in order to increase the survival rate in case of an acquired-Coronavirus infection later on.