Total thoracoscopic repair of ventricular septal defect: A single-center experience.

OBJECTIVES:To explore the safety and efficacy of total thoracoscopic repair of ventricular septal defects (VSD). We compared clinical outcomes of VSD via a total thoracoscopic approach with those of mini-sternotomy. METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from patients with VSD from 2012 to January 2019. According to the surgical pattern, they were divided into two groups: the total thoracoscopic surgery group (36 patients, 27 females, aged 29 ± 9.52 years), and a mini-sternotomy group (31 patients, 12 females, aged 28 ± 8.67 years). RESULTS:There were no deaths in either group. In the thoracoscopic group, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and aortic cross-clamping (ACC) time were significantly longer than those of the mini-sternotomy group (CPB time: 112 ± 23.16 min vs. 78 ± 37.90 min, respectively, p < .001; ACC time: 65 ± 19.94 min vs. 50 ± 24.90 min, respectively, p < .001). postoperative hospital stay time (5.11 ± 2.48 days vs. 5.90 ± 6.27 days, p = .488) and chest drainage (139.86 ± 111.71 ml vs. 196.13 ± 147.34 ml, p = .081) tended to be lower in the thoracoscopy group, although there was no significant difference. No residual shunt or tricuspid regurgitation was found at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS:Total thoracoscopic repair is safe and effective in patients with VSD, with or without tricuspid regurgitation.