Underarm Ozaki Surgery

Underarm Ozaki Surgery is the application of the Ozaki procedure, used in the treatment of aortic valve diseases, using a minimally invasive approach. In this method, the heart is accessed through a small incision made under the armpit without cutting the breastbone, and the valve is reconstructed by creating custom-made aortic valves from the patient's own pericardium (the heart's outer membrane).

This technique, initially developed by Japanese cardiac surgeon Shigeyuki Ozaki, may help reduce certain complications associated with artificial heart valves by using the patient's own tissue. The axillary approach is a minimally invasive method that aims to reduce surgical trauma, shorten the recovery period, and enable the patient to return to daily life more quickly.