I have performed a total of 35 minimally invasive MVRepairs with an anterior leaflet augmentation for multiple different pathologies including rheumatic disease. severe MAC, radiation valvulopathy, and severe SAM with IHHS.

33 have been with bovine pericardium, 1 with untreated autologous pericardium and 1 with CardioCel.  I have not used CorMatrix because of the multiple reports claiming that on the left side of the heart, there can be a disruption of the patch.  I cannot personally attest to this since I have only used it once on a tricuspid valve reconstruction.

The last of the 35 cases that I performed an anterior leaflet augmentation was with CardioCel.  I found it very comfortable to work with.  It is very flexible and soft and it is easy to pass a 5-0 needle through it. A  saline test of the valve can be performed with this material as opposed to bovine pericardium which is very stiff and competency of the repair can only be assessed once the heart is beating.

I think this will be my go to patch for now and would like to eventually compare its results with the bovine pericardial cases. Of note, I have been told that all of the bovine pericardial patches will eventually calcify but I have not seen that yet since my follow up is not long enough.

I have enclosed pictures.  All of my cases have been performed via a right lateral mini thoracotomy. I truly believe that the visualization is superior to a sternotomy in addition to the fact that a more extensive and complete myectomy can be performed via the mitral valve.

When performing a minimally invasive AVR or MVR via a right mini-thoracotomy approach, assessing whether you are in the right interspace is sometimes questionable.  Even after performing thousands of cases, I question this at times. I have come to the conclusion that there is one landmark that I need to see in order to confirm that I have entered the correct interspace.  That structure is the Right Superior Pulmonary Vein.

During a mini AVR, after instituting CPB and opening the pericardium, if I see the RSPV directly in line with interspace that I entered, I know that I should be able to perform the operation, even if the aorta is displaced. It is key to then take your time and place as many pericardial stay sutures as needed to develop the exposure. This is crucial to optimizing the exposure. (TOP picture)

During a mini MVR, after instituting CPB and opeing the pericardium, if I see the RSPV directly in line with the interspace that I entered, or one interspace above the site that I entered, I know that I am in the correct interspace. I don’t what to be in line with the IVC. This will be very low and if this were the case, I would move to the next higher interspace. Again, use the pericardial stay sutures to optimize exposure. (BOTTOM picture)

Mini AVR

Mini MVR

I truly believe that the easiest way to perform a septal myectomy is through the mitral valve. The majority of cases that have severe MR secondary to SAM and septal hypertrophy will have a small anterior leaflet. There have been reports describing the detachment of the anterior leaflet chords and elongating them with artificial gortex neochordae to eliminate the SAM. I am sure this can be done but there is a more consistent solution. With SAM, MR and septal hypertrophy, I believe that detaching the anterior leaflet and extending the leaflet incision past the commisures, performing a septal myectomy and then suturing a pericardial patch to the defect in the anterior leaflet will resolve the problem. When performing the septal myectomy, I usually take a 3-0 silk needle and drive it into the thickened septum pull it down. Thereafter and 11 blade is used to incise the septum 3-4 mm from the aortic annulus. I will then use the long shafted metsenbaum scissor to complete an extensive myectomy. You can usually take more that you think. This approach will allow you to go deep into the septum towards the apex.

Over the years I have modified my technique for inserting the post for the atrial lift system.  Believe it or not,  patients were complaining about pain from this insertion site more than from the mini thoracotomy incision.

In the past I was making a small incision in the chest where I wanted to insert the post and thereafter passed a tonsil clamp from the incision and into the chest. I would then take a red rubber catheter , place it through the thoracotomy incision and pull it out through the small incision.  I would then use the red rubber catheter to guide the post back into the chest and later attach it to the blade.  I think that maybe the insertion of the clamp was just too traumatic.

Please view this short video to see the new technique that I strongly recommend.  I have provided the link below. (When you view it,  click on settings, which is the little pin wheel on the lower bar, third from the right.  This is the settings button. Click Quality and the select 720 HP. The resolution will be better)

If anyone has any suggestions or a better way, I would appreciate any comments.

I have enclosed a link to a 14 minute video on an anterior leaflet augmentation performed via a minimally invasive approach.  I have used bovine pericardium in all but one case in which I used autologous, untreated pericardium.  I believe that this technique should be performed with bovine pericardium or glutaraldehyde treated pericardium.  There is a new product on the market called CardioCel which may also be promising. A recent paper presented at ISMICS in Boston by Dr. Guy demonstrated that there was a high incidence of patch complications utilizing Corematrix.

http://youtu.be/vrPhKUWAjz8