Total endoscopic repair of atrial septal defect under on-pump beating heart

Thoracoscopic closure of atrial septal defect in perfused beating hearts

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to characterize the mid and long-term clinical outcomes of 856 atrial septal defect cases that underwent closure using MTCST without the assistance of a robotic system.

METHODS

From June 2009 to September 2023, a total of 856 cases at our center underwent selective repair of a secundum-type atrial septal defect using MTCST without Da Vinci robotic assistance. According to whether the operation was performed during an arrested heart or not, patients were divided into arrested heart group (n = 110) and beating heart group (n = 746). Cardiopulmonary bypass was established peripherally. Three-port incisions in the right chest were conducted first, followed by a pericardiotomy, superior and inferior vena cava snaring, atriotomy, and the closure of atrial septal defect under a thoracoscope. Patients were followed up from 3 months to 12 years postoperatively.

RESULTS

The exclusively MTCST for atrial septal defect closure was successfully performed without any in-hospital mortality in both groups. None of the procedures required an alternative technique for the closure. There were significant learning curves for cardiopulmonary bypass time and operation time. No residual shunt was observed in all patients during the follow-up transthoracic echocardiography at 5-day and 3-month timepoints postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that an exclusively MTCST for atrial septal defect repair is safe, simple, and minimally invasive. Exclusively MTCST is a new desirable alternative beside robotic-assisted atrial septal defect repair.

Totally Endoscopic Atrial Septal Defect Repair on Beating Heart: Clinical Outcome and Single-Surgeon Learning Curve Experience

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Hanoi ASD procedure, which is totally endoscopic surgery for atrial septal defect (ASD) repair on beating heart. In addition, the present study also aimed to analyze the learning curve for this procedure.

METHODS

From May 2016 to February 2023, 198 consecutive ASD patients weighing ≥20 kg were enrolled in the retrospective study. The Hanoi ASD procedure includes (1) unilateral or bilateral femoral arterial cannulation; (2) two or three 5 mm trocars and a 15 mm port; (3) ASD repair on beating heart, preventing air embolism with CO2 insufflation and keeping the left atrium full of blood; and (4) not snaring the inferior vena cava. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was used to evaluate the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and operation time learning curves. Variables among the learning curve phases were compared.

RESULTS

The CPB and operation times were 90 (72 to 115) min and 180 (150 to 220) min, respectively. Total drainage volume was 190 (120 to 290) mL. No endoscopic failure or major complications were complications were excluding factors causing bias, the CUSUMCPBtime analysis for the remaining 131 patients included 3 phases. Phase 1 was the initial learning period (cases 1 to 34), phase 2 represented the technical competence period (cases 35 to 54), and phase 3 was the challenging period (cases 55 to 131).

CONCLUSIONS

The Hanoi ASD procedure is safe and feasible for repairing ASD in patients weighing ≥20 kg. According to the learning curve analysis, 34 cases were required to achieve technical efficiency, and 54 cases were required to address highly challenging cases.

Total Thoracoscopic versus Robotic Surgery for Repair of Atrial Septum Defect: A Propensity Matching Score Analysis

Robotic surgery can provide less surgical trauma than conventional surgery, but differences between robotic and thoracoscopic surgery for atrial septal defect (ASD) repair are not well documented. To explore whether ASD can be repaired by thoracoscopic surgery or robotic surgery, which procedure is less invasive, and the difference in outcomes between these two procedures, this article studies 160 patients undergoing ASD repair at our institution. Sixty-five patients underwent total thoracoscopic surgery and 95 patients underwent total endoscopic robotic surgery. Propensity score matching yielded 64 well-matched patient pairs. Surgical data and early postoperative outcomes between the two matched groups were analyzed and compared. The results show that thoracoscopic and robotic surgery to repair ASD are both safe and reliable, and the early curative effect is good. However, regardless of similar complication rates, robotic surgery has a shorter time, less postoperative drainage, and faster recovery than thoracoscopic surgery.

Intermediate-Term Outcomes of Totally Endoscopic Atrial Septal Defect Repair on Beating Heart in Small Children

Objective: Manipulation in a narrow surgical field and risks of femoral arterial (FA) complications are difficulties when applying totally endoscopic surgery (TES) for congenital heart disease in small children. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of TES for atrial septal defect (ASD) repair in children weighing 13 to 20 kg. Methods: From July 2016 to July 2021, 14 patients with a mean age of 5.4 ± 2.2 years and mean weight of 15.57 ± 2.39 kg (range, 13 to 20 kg), underwent TES for ASD repair on the beating heart. FA cannulation was established through a Dacron graft. An additional FA cannula (2 to 4 Fr smaller than the expected size) was placed into the left FA in case of increasing arterial pressure. Three 5 or 5.5 mm trocars and one 12 mm port were used. The surgical field was filled with CO₂. No aortic clamp, no aortic root needle, and no snaring of the inferior vena cava were used. The mean follow-up time was 37.9 ± 12.5 months. Results: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) installation time, CPB time, and operation time were 42.6 ± 16.5 min, 113.1 ± 33.1 min, and 209.6 ± 50.6 min, respectively. Total drainage volume was 125.4 ± 89.2 mL. Patients did not need analgesics on day 4 or 5 after surgery. No severe complications, including arterial complications, were recorded during follow-up. Conclusions: By optimizing the surgical field and setting the FA cannula correctly, TES for ASD closure is feasible in small children weighing between 13 and 20 kg.

Revising ventricular septal defect residual shunts without aortic re-cross-clamping: a safe and effective surgical procedure

Background

The conventional approach to revising a residual shunt following ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure is to re-occlude the aorta and repair the residual shunt under cardioplegic arrest. The present study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of a new approach for revising residual shunts following VSD repair without re-occluding the aorta. This approach is known as on beating heart surgery.

Methods

This retrospective study included 80 pediatric patients who underwent surgical closure of a simple VSD. Residual shunts larger than 2 mm were intraoperatively detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and these patients received immediate reintervention. Of the patients, 37 received on beating heart surgery without aortic cross-clamping (Group A) and 43 patients were operated on with aortic cross-clamping and cardioplegia (Group B).

Results

Residual VSD closures were successfully performed in all patients. Group A had significantly shorter aortic cross-clamp times (P<0.0001), significantly shorter CPB times (P<0.01), a lower incidence of prolonged ventilation (>6 hours) (P=0.04), a lower incidence of prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay (ICU stay >1 day) (P=0.02), and reduced in-hospital expenses (P<0.0001) compared with Group B. There was no significant difference in the incidence of recurrent residual shunts (P=0.96), prolonged postoperative hospital stay (>5 days) (P=0.24), or the incidence of perioperative complications (P=0.81) between the groups.

Conclusions

On beating heart surgery is a safe and effective approach for the closure of residual VSDs and is significantly associated with a lower incidence of prolonged ventilation, a lower incidence of prolonged ICU stay, and reduced in-hospital expenses.