Commentary: Cerebral embolization after minimally invasive mitral valve surgery without aortic-cross clamp: Pay attention to the details.

The goals of minimally invasive cardiac surgery procedures are a) to perform the same operation as through a median sternotomy, and b) to minimize the physiological impact associated with a large chest incision, decreasing recovery time and operative complications. Stroke is a rare but devastating complication after cardiac surgery that results in increased operative and long-term mortality and significant impairment in the quality of life. Therefore, prevention of stroke during cardiac surgery is of paramount importance, particularly in procedures performed through a minimally invasive approach with the goal of decreasing morbidity and improving recovery time.
Source: Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: ADULT – Editorial Commentary Source Type: research