Rapid deployment valve system shortens operative times for aortic valve replacement through right anterior minithoracotomy

Background: There is growing evidence from the literature that right anterior minithoracotomy aortic valve replacement (RAT-AVR) improves clinical outcome. However, increased cross clamp time is the strongest argument for surgeons not performing RAT-AVR. Rapid deployment aortic valve systems have the potential to decrease cross-clamp time and ease this procedure. We assessed clinical outcome of rapid deployment and conventional valves through RAT. Methods: Sixty-eight patients (mean age 76 +/- 6 years, 32% females) underwent RAT-AVR between 9/2013 and 7/2015. According to the valve type implanted the patients were divided into two groups. In 43 patients (R-group; mean age 74.1 +/- 6.6 years) a rapid deployment valve system (Edwards Intuity, Edwards Lifesciences Corp; Irvine, Calif) and in 25 patients (C-group; mean age 74.2 +/- 6.6 years) a conventional stented biological aortic valve was implanted. Results: Aortic cross-clamp (42.1 +/- 12 min vs. 68.3 +/- 20.3 min; p < 0.001) and bypass time (80.4 +/- 39.3 min vs. 106.6 +/- 23.2 min; p = 0.001) were shorter in the rapid deployment group (R-group). We observed no differences in clinical outcome. Postoperative gradients (R-group: max gradient, 14.3 +/- 8 mmHg vs. 15.5 +/- 5 mmHg (C-group), mean gradient, 9.2 +/- 1.7 mmHg (R-group) vs. 9.1 +/- 2.3 mmHg (C-group) revealed no differences. However, larger prostheses were implanted in C-group (25 mm; IQR 23-27 mm vs. 23 mm; IQR 21-25; p = 0.009). Conclusions: Our data suggest that the rapid deployment aortic valve system reduced cross clamp and bypass time in patients undergoing RAT-AVR with similar hemodynamics as with larger size stented prosthesis. However, larger studies and long-term follow-up are mandatory to confirm our findings.