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Advances in Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery: Current Techniques and Future Innovations

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Dr. Akshay Kumar

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Guest Editor

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, 550 1st Avenue, Suite 7R, New York, NY 10016, USA
Interests: cardiac imaging; minimally invasive cardiac surgery; 3D reconstruction; lung cancer; 3D printing

Dr. Mohamed Rahouma

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Guest Editor

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
Interests: cardiothoracic surgery, especially for esophageal cancer; lung cancer and mesothelioma; coronary artery bypass graft; radial artery harvest; cardiac tumors; minimally invasive surgery
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, entitled ‘Advances in Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery: Current Techniques and Future Innovations’. This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research, innovative techniques, and expert perspectives in the field of minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery, highlighting the rapid advancements and future directions of this dynamic field.

We welcome submissions covering a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

Minimally invasive valve surgery: Latest techniques, outcomes, and evolving technologies.
Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robotic surgery: Innovations, technical tips, and outcome comparisons.
Hybrid procedures: Combined endovascular and minimally invasive approaches.
Advanced imaging and navigation: Integration of AI and enhanced visualization techniques.
Postoperative management and enhanced recovery protocols: Optimizing patient outcomes.
Emerging techniques and future perspectives: Novel methods and technologies in development.

We encourage you to submit your original research, reviews, and technical notes. Your contributions will help shape the future of minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and thank you for considering this opportunity to showcase your work in this Special Issue.

Dr. Akshay Kumar
Dr. Mohamed Rahouma
Guest Editors

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Research

9 pages, 223 KB

Open AccessArticle

Annuloplasty Ring Utilization in Mitral Valve Repair: A Real-World Snapshot of Device Selection and Early Outcomes

by Andrzej Klapkowski, Aleksandra Stańska, Nikodem Ulatowski, Maciej Duda, Igor Tomczyk and Wojciech Karolak

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(10), 3711; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15103711 - 12 May 2026

Viewed by 128

Abstract

Background: Annuloplasty is a key component of mitral valve repair, yet the impact of ring design on early outcomes remains unclear. Methods: This retrospective study included 153 consecutive patients undergoing mitral valve repair with annuloplasty. Ring designs were grouped into semi-rigid rings, semi-rigid bands, rigid rings, and other designs. The primary outcome was new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). Secondary outcomes included early complications and repair durability based on follow-up echocardiography. Results: Postoperative AF occurred in 14.4% of patients and did not differ across ring design groups (p = 0.791). No independent predictors of AF were identified, although a longer aortic cross-clamp time showed a borderline association. Early outcomes were favorable, with 2.0% mortality and 5.9% rethoracotomy. Follow-up echocardiography was available in 79.7% of patients, with good or moderate repair observed in 95.9%. Echocardiographic repair failure occurred in 2.5% of patients. No clear association was observed between ring design and repair durability. Conclusions: In this real-world cohort, no significant association was detected between annuloplasty ring design and early postoperative AF or short-term outcomes. These findings should be interpreted cautiously, given the low event rate and small subgroup sizes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery: Current Techniques and Future Innovations)

15 pages, 1794 KB

Open AccessArticle

Central Aortic Cannulation in Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery via Right Thoracotomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Comparison

by Tayfun Özdem, Tuna Demirkıran, Mesut Akyol, Işıl Taşöz Özdaş, Furkan Burak Akyol, Yiğit Tokgöz, Veli Can Özdemir, Emre Kubat, Gökhan Arslan, Murat Kadan and Kubilay Karabacak

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(6), 2383; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15062383 - 20 Mar 2026

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Abstract

Background/Objectives: Minimally invasive cardiac surgery via right thoracotomy commonly uses femoral arterial cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), which requires an additional groin incision and may be associated with access-related complications. Central aortic cannulation through the same thoracotomy allows antegrade perfusion without an extra incision. This study compared central aortic and femoral arterial cannulation strategies in minimally invasive cardiac surgery via right thoracotomy. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 139 consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive right thoracotomy cardiac surgery with CPB between February 2021 and June 2023. Patients were grouped according to arterial cannulation strategy: central aortic cannulation (n = 93) and femoral arterial cannulation (n = 46). Demographic characteristics, operative variables, transfusion requirements, biochemical parameters, and early postoperative clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Results: Baseline demographic characteristics differed between groups (age, height, body surface area, and sex distribution), and these differences should be considered potential confounders when interpreting outcome comparisons. Central cannulation was more frequently used in women (74.2% vs. 45.7%, p = 0.001). Patients in the femoral group were older (median 61.0 vs. 54.0 years, p = 0.004), taller (1.65 ± 0.10 vs. 1.59 ± 0.09 m, p < 0.001), and had a slightly higher body surface area (p = 0.043). Cross-clamp and CPB durations were longer in the femoral group (cross-clamp: 90.0 vs. 70.5 min, p = 0.015; CPB: 137.0 vs. 114.0 min, p = 0.003). Lymphatic leakage occurred in three patients in the femoral group (6.5% vs. 0%, p = 0.009). No significant differences were observed between groups for mortality, intensive care unit stay, or neurological events. Conclusions: Central aortic cannulation via right thoracotomy is a feasible alternative to femoral arterial cannulation, enabling antegrade perfusion without a groin incision, reducing operative time, and potentially decreasing access-related complications such as lymphatic leakage, while yielding comparable early clinical outcomes. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the retrospective design and baseline differences between groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery: Current Techniques and Future Innovations)

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