Objective: to evaluate the feasibility and results of implementing 3D total endoscopic surgery for congenital heart surgery in children. Abstract: Minimally invasive surgery is currently a widespread tendency in open heart surgery and particularly in congenital heart surgery. In particular, total endoscopic surgery with a 3D system has been applied to adult patients, bringing many benefits such as thoroughly resolving heart lesions, fast post-operative recovery and especially high aesthetic value with small surgical scars. The application of 3D endoscopic surgery for children still has many limitations due to their small body size. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the feasibility and results of implementing this technique in children. Subjects and methods: From January 2018 to March 2024, patients weighing over 15 kilograms were operated using 3D total endoscopic methods. Total 127 patients included: 62 cases of atrial septal defect, 42 cases of ventricular septal defect, 18 cases of partial atrioventricular septal defect and 5 cases of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return. Average age: 8.73 years (3-15). Average weight: 21.34 kg (15-51). Results: All patients were established with peripheral extracorporeal circulation, no patient had to undergo sternotomy. The time of cardiopulmonary bypass for atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, partial atrioventricular septal defect, and partial anomalous pulmonary venous return were: 78 minutes, 115 minutes, 140 minutes, 91 minutes, respectively. Aortic clamping time for ventricular septal defect: 82 minutes; partial atrioventricular septal defect: 88 minutes; partial anomalous pulmonary venous return: 62 minutes. For the disease of atrial septal defect, the heart was left beating during the surgical process. No cases of fatality after surgery. Postoperative echocardiography demonstrates promising results. Postoperative complications included 1 patient with femoral artery occlusion at the site of arterial cannulation, this patient then underwent emergency femoral artery angioplasty; 1 patient with external iliac artery stenosis required reoperate after 3 months. The average postoperative follow-up time was 29 months (2 - 59), no fatality, no complications, stable echocardiography results, no patient needed to be reoperated during the follow-up period. Conclusion: 3D total endoscopic surgery can be performed routinely on children weighing over 15 kg, offering excellent early and long-term outcomes and evident cosmetic benefits.
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