Aortic root replacement through right anterolateral thoracotomy.

A 59-year-old woman had undergone total arch replacement, followed by the mediastinal omental flap installation because of postoperative mediastinitis. One year later, she was diagnosed with annuloaortic ectasia with mitral regurgitation and underwent aortic root replacement (modified Bentall procedure) plus mitral valve annuloplasty through the right anterolateral thoracotomy. Her postoperative course was uneventful. The approach could be an alternative for the aortic root replacement in patients with previous median sternal wound complications.