Anterolateral minithoracotomy versus median sternotomy for the treatment of congenital heart defects: a meta-analysis and systematic review

6 case control studies published in English from 1997 to 2011 were identified and synthesized to compare the short-term postoperative outcomes between ALMT and MS. These outcomes were cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, intubation time, intensive care unit stay time, and postoperative hospital stay time.ALMT had significantly longer cardiopulmonary bypass times (8.00？min more, 95% CI 0.36 to 15.64？min, p？=？0.04). Some evidence proved that aortic cross-clamp time of ALMT was longer, yet not significantly (2.38？min more, 95% CI ？0.15 to 4.91？min, p？=？0.06). In addition, ALMT had significantly shorter intubation time (1.66？hrs less, 95% CI ？3.05 to ？0.27？hrs, p？=？0.02). Postoperative hospital stay time was significantly shorter with ALMT (1.52？days less, 95% CI ？2.71 to ？0.33？days, p？=？0.01). Some evidence suggested a reduction in ICU stay time in the ALMT group. However, this did not prove to be statistically significant (0.88？days less, 95% CI ？0.81 to 0.04？days, p？=？0.08).ALMT can bring more benefits to patients with Congenital Heart Defects by reducing intubation time and postoperative hospital stay time, though ALMT has longer CPB time and aortic cross-clamp time.