[Cardiac operation via subaxillary and anterolateral subaxillary thoracotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass].

From March 1995 to August 1996, 50 patients underwent cardiac operation through subaxillary and anterolateral subaxillary thoracotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass. 17 had atrial septal defect, 26 ventricular septal defect, 3 mitral stenosis and insufficiency, 1 isolated mitral insufficiency, 1 double chamber of right ventricle, 1 partial common atrioventricular canal, and 1 cor atriatriatum. All operations were successfully performed without technical difficulty. The cardiopulmonary bypass time was 40.19 +/- 17.17 minutes with aortic cross-clamping time of 22.59 +/- 11.06 minutes. There were no operative death and complications. In conclusion, the subaxillary and anterolateral subaxillary thoracotomy incision appears to be a minimally invasive, safe, effective and cosmetic alterative to median sternotomy for cardiac operation.