Minimal Invasive Right Vertical Axillary Thoracotomy For Repair Of Congenital Heart Defects - Azerbaijan Experience.

Kamran Musayev, Kamran Ahmadov

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Central Clinic (Merkezi Klinika), Baku, Azerbaijan

 

Background. This study assesses the outcomes of a minimal invasive right vertical axillary thoracotomy approach for repairing various congenital heart defects in the pediatric population in Azerbaijan.

Methods. A retrospective review was conducted on consecutive patients who underwent repair of congenital heart defects using the minimal invasive right vertical axillary thoracotomy approach between April 2022 and December 2023 at our institution.

Results. The median age was 6.5 years (range: 6 months - 13 years). The median weight was 15.5 kg (range: 8-41 kg). The median hospital stay was 4.6 days, with median cardiopulmonary and cross-clamp times of 46 and 22 minutes, respectively. No in-hospital deaths or conversions to median sternotomy occurred.

Conclusion. The minimal invasive right vertical axillary thoracotomy approach can be safely employed for a broad spectrum of congenital heart defects, yielding excellent cosmetic results. It stands as a good alternative to median sternotomy.