Redo Aortic Valve Replacement With Perceval Prosthesis via Minithoracotomy in a Patient With Permanent Tracheostoma and Tracheoesophageal Shunt

A 76-year-old male patient had undergone aortic valve replacement with a 19-mm Carpentier–Edwards Perimount valve 12 years prior and underwent laryngopharyngo-esophagectomy for hypopharyngeal carcinoma followed by permanent tracheostomy and tracheoesophageal shunt creation 2 years later. Echocardiography showed exacerbated structural valve deterioration of the bioprosthesis, necessitating redo surgery. A permanent tracheostoma, located just above the upper edge of the sternum, seemed to be at high risk of serious infections when median resternotomy was performed. To minimize the risk of infection, we performed implantation of a Perceval prosthesis via the right anterior minithoracotomy after sufficient anatomical assessments. There was no evidence of mediastinitis or wound infection during the follow-up period. This report highlights that the less invasive Perceval implantation strategically allowed reduction in the resternotomy-associated infection risks in this patient.