Backgrounds: Transseptal left atrial approach is used in mitral valve surgery whenever adequate surgical exposure cannot be obtained. The probability of emergence of arrhytmias causes reluctancy to apply these methods. The changes of QT intervals in ECG may predict arrhytmias in most cases.

Methods: We compared the changes in QT intervals between two groups in which transseptal and conventional left atrial approaches were used. Transseptal and conventional atriotomy groups were comprising of 16 and 19 patients respectively. Only the patients with sinus rhythm who were not using any of antiarrhymic agents were included in this study. QT intervals were revised by using Bazett formula and corrected QT dispersion values were calculated for each patients.

Results: Most QT intervals were prolonged on the first postoperative day but these values returned to the baseline on the sixth day. There was not any significant difference between the two groups in accordance with the atrial and ventricular arrhytmia, using antiarrhymic drug and of rhytmic changes.

Conclusions: In this study we did not find any difference in relation with corrected QT dispersion values between conventional and the transseptal approach in mitral valve surgery which we cannot obtain adequate exposure.

Keywords : Mitral valve surgery, QT dispersion, arrhythmia, transseptal