Frederique's Guestbook

Hello Frederique,
I’m sorry you received that response; it was unhelpful and understandably upsetting before a major operation. The surgeon’s remark was inappropriate.  He likely meant that, in his hands, a mini approach feels riskier, but stating that as a general rule about safety is unnecessary. Thousands of aortic valve operations have been performed through smaller incisions and, when done by experienced teams in appropriately selected patients, minimally invasive approaches are as safe as full sternotomy and offer meaningful benefits: less pain, faster recovery, shorter hospital stay, smaller scar, and quicker return to normal activity. Experience and patient selection matter; if you have concerns, seek a surgeon experienced in minimally invasive aortic valve surgery and ask about their case volume and outcomes. Wishing you a smooth operation and a speedy recovery.
Best,Luis