Right thoracotomy revisited.

From September 1991 through August 1992, 38 patients (34 female and 4 male) underwent mitral valve surgery through a limited right anterior thoracotomy. The ascending aorta was easily cannulated for arterial return in all patients. Although there was no operative mortality, 8 patients required reoperation for bleeding, usually associated with the site of chest-wall puncture for the left atrial pressure line and epicardial pacing wires, a problem that we were able to correct. Right lower lobe collapse occurred in 2 patients, but the lungs were fully expanded in all patients before hospital discharge. We believe that a return to this older surgical approach is particularly suited to young patients and provides the important advantages over median sternotomy of superior mitral valve exposure and a cosmetically acceptable scar.