CARDIAC ENTRAPMENT DURING MINIMALLY INVASIVE AORTIC-VALVE REPLACEMENT

Reduced exposure during minimally invasive valve operations poses new difficulties in intraoperative management. Transesophageal echocardiog raphy improves intraoperative management. During a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, we encountered unexpected hypotension due to mechanical compression of the right ventricle against the sternum. Tr ansesophageal echocardiography facilitated rapid diagnosis of this pro blem. Surgeons performing these procedures should be aware of this pot ential problem. (C) 1997 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.