Minimally Invasive Congenital Cardiac Surgery in Morocco: Outcomes and Technical Refinements.

Cohort studyWorld journal for pediatric & congenital heart surgery· Jul 2026

Minimally Invasive Congenital Cardiac Surgery in Morocco: Outcomes and Technical Refinements.

Abdoulkarim B Zalikatou, Moussa Son, Arafaou Dicko … Drissi Boumzebra

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Congenital Cardiac SurgeryCohort studyClinical practiceQ3IF 0.8

Most children were extubated within 3 hours after minimally invasive congenital heart surgery

Minimally Invasive Congenital Cardiac Surgery in Morocco: Outcomes and Technical Refinements.

Abdoulkarim B Zalikatou … Drissi Boumzebra

World journal for pediatric & congenital heart surgery · Jul 2026 · Q3 in Surgery

Background

Minimally invasive approaches are increasingly used in congenital cardiac surgery; however, their application remains challenging, particularly in pediatric patients.

Methods

This prospective observational single-center study included 31 patients who underwent minimally invasive congenital cardiac surgery for atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects, partial atrioventricular septal defects, and other selected lesions using cardiopulmonary bypass between January 2024 and January 2025.

n = 31 patients

93.5%

Results

93.5%

nearly all children breathed on their own within 3 hours

n = 31 patients

More results

The study population consisted of 23 females and 8 males, with a median age of 145 months (range: 8-672) and a median weight of 32.5 kg (range: 9-89).

Mean aortic cross-clamp time was 51.2 min (range: 20-139).

Mean intensive care unit stay and hospital stay were 2.06 days (range: 1-5) and 6.29 days (range: 4-15), respectively.

More results

One of 31 patients (3.2%) developed postoperative atrioventricular block requiring permanent pacemaker implantation.

“

Conclusion

Minimally invasive congenital cardiac surgery is feasible and safe in selected patients. These approaches should be considered as part of a modern congenital cardiac surgery program.

Minimally Invasive Congenital Cardiac Surgery in Morocco: Outcomes and Technical Refinements.

Minimally Invasive Congenital Cardiac Surgery in Morocco: Outcomes and Technical Refinements.

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