Background: Surgical repair of Ventricular Septal Defect using minimal invasive technique with Vertical right axillary mini-thoracotomy (VRAMT) is an alternative standard approach at our institution. This observational single-center study shows our initial results with the VRAMT approach for the repair of ventricular septal defect (VSD) in infants and children.

Methods: Patients diagnosed as Ventricular Septal Defect were treated surgically using MICS technique. Outcome variables were analyzed. The surgical technique for the VRAMT involved a 4- to 5-cm vertical incision in the right mid axillary line.

Results: Between March 2021 to November 2021, total 50 patients were operated using MICS technique.  12 were perimembranous VSD, 8 were PM with Outlet extension VSD, 18 were DCSA VSD, 10 were PM with inlet extension VSD, 2 were Inlet VSD. Mean aortic occlusion time was 61.84±18 min and mean CPB time was 128±27.77 min. Mean mechanical ventilation was 5.47±1.65 hours. There was no need for any conversion to median sternotomy in any case. There was no residual VSD or heart block was found in post operative evaluation. Neither wound infections nor mortality were observed. Psychological acceptance was excellent as Median sternotomy scar could be avoided.

Conclusions: MICS using vertical right axillary thoracotomy can be considered as a safe and effective approach for the repair of all varieties of VSD in selected patient groups with excellent clinical and cosmetic outcome.