Does axillary access improve outcomes compared to median sternotomy in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery?
Axillary access for minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is a viable alternative to median sternotomy, offering improved recovery and wound outcomes with comparable mortality, though at the cost of longer CPB times.
Axillary access for MVS shows comparable mortality to median sternotomy, with benefits in wound complications, ventilation, and recovery but longer CPB times. Further research is needed to confirm long-term safety and efficacy.
Almehandi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.