Clinical Research in Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Dear Colleagues,

We are currently experiencing a significant and transformative period in the field of cardiac surgery, which was established approximately two decades ago with the advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). While some may interpret the developments of the past decade as a form of competition or potential threat, others may rightly regard them as an impetus for advancement and opportunity.

Aortic valve surgery provides a compelling example. Although the earliest publications on minimally invasive cardiac surgical techniques date back to the early 1990s, the following two decades saw limited further evolution, largely due to the absence of a compelling clinical need. In 2007—one year prior to the broader clinical implementation of TAVI—minimally invasive approaches to aortic valve replacement accounted for less than 5% of procedures. Since then, the landscape has evolved markedly. Minimally invasive procedures are now routinely performed in numerous cardiac surgery centers worldwide. These include aortic valve replacement, mitral valve repair or replacement, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), ascending aortic replacement, and robotic-assisted interventions—each representing a cornerstone of modern minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

This Special Issue seeks to highlight and promote innovative and forward-looking contributions—whether technical innovations, strategic methodologies, or conceptual advancements—that aim to shape the future of cardiac surgical practice.

We welcome your submissions and look forward to fostering continued progress and innovation in this dynamic field.

Dr. Francesco Loreni
Dr. Antonio Loforte
Guest Editors

Dr. Marcello Bergonzini
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• minimally
• invasive
• aortic valve
• mitral valve
• tricuspid valve
• CABG
• replacement
• plastic
• periferic cannulation
• cardio-pulmonary by-pass
• robotic