Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: Does it make a difference?

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has emerged as an alternative approach to conventional sternotomy to perform mitral valve repair and replacement with equivalent results. This strategy was developed to decrease surgical trauma by minimizing the size of incisions and permits excellent exposure of the mitral valve thereby avoiding conventional full sternotomy. The purpose of this review is to provide a critical, objective, balanced, and evidence-based analysis of the literature to understand advantages, potential scope, and the utility of these minimally invasive approaches to the mitral valve in modern cardiac care.