OBJECTIVE: Ministernotomy and mini-incision are options to approach the heart. The latter, is a small incision on the skin with complete division of the sternum. The goal of this study was to evaluate the two approaches regarding viability, reproducibility and the final estetic effect. MATERIAL AND METHODS: "H" and "L" miniesternotomies and mini-incision surgeries had been realized for the treatment of valve defects (mitral and aortic), congenital heart defects (IAC and IVC) and three myocardial revascularizations. Thirty-five pacients were assessed: 10 submitted to ministernotomy (40%) and 24 to mini-incision (60%). Average age was 23.4 years (range 3 months to 52 years) with females predominating (54%). RESULTS: The surgeries included: implant of aortic prostetic valve - 9 (25.7%), 8 were biological valves and one a mechanical valve; implant of mitral valve - 6 (17.1%) utilizing biological valves and one plastic mitral valve (2.9%); two mitro-aortic valve replacements (5.8%), correction of atrial septal defect 13 (37.1%) and correction of ventricular septal defect, 1 (2.9%) and 3 (8.5%) myocardial revascularizations, one without extracorporeal circulation. "H" ministernotomy had been done in 7 (20%) cases and in "L" in 3 (8.5%) cases and via mini-incision in the remaining cases (25). The size of the incisions ranged from 7 to 14 cm with an avarege of 9.9 cm. CONCLUSION: This two approaches to the heart for cardiac surgery are perfectly viable and reproducible without changing surgical time, or extracorporeal circulation time without greater risks to the patient, and resulting in a better final estetic effect than conventional sternotomy.
Sternotomy; Thoracotomy
