Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery through right anterolateral thoracotomy—review and personal experience

Since the mid-1950s, after the invention of the heart-lung machine, mitral valve surgery is being done routinely by many surgeons. Even though the first multivalvular surgery was done through right thoracotomy, median sternotomy has become the approach of choice for a long time. In the last two decades, minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has picked up with the presumption of less tissue injury, faster patient recovery, and more patient satisfaction. In spite of improvements in technology, surgical techniques, and cannulation methods, many surgeons have concerns about the efficacy of mitral surgery done under limited exposure, learning curve involved, and potentially prolonged operative times. In this article, we reviewed the literature on MIMVS through right thoracotomy and our personal experience.