V-type mini sternotomy in aortic valve replacement.

As patients and their physicians become more demanding, the desire to make the procedures "minimally invasive" is growing constantly. In short, "minimally invasive" is a code phrase for life saving procedures which in same time disrupt our quality of life the least. Its goals include reducing incision size, decreasing surgical trauma and pain, and improving cosmesits, patient satisfaction, and recovery times. However, the most important goal of minimally invasive aortic valve surgery must be to maintain or improve the efficacy and safety of conventional aortic valve surgery. In this report we would like to present operative technique of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) we use in our hospital.