Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: tips, tricks and technique

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is mitral valve surgery done through a small incision under direct vision without a sternotomy or rib cutting utilizing specialty-designed minimally invasive instruments. Numerous reports have been published and have proven its benefits. With the advancement of transcatheter valve therapies, it is also important for cardiac surgeons to be familiar with all minimally invasive approaches, especially in mitral valve surgery. However, minimally invasive mitral surgery can have a steep learning curve and advancement in its technique has been made constantly. In this report, we attempted to provide some of our tips and current technique in minimally invasive mitral surgery for surgeons to perform the procedure effectively and successfully.