Cetinkaya A, Ebraheem E, Bramlage K, et al. - Given the common association of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery with the need for cardiopulmonary bypass, researchers here compared endoaortic clamping (endoclamping; Intraclude, Edwards Lifesciences) with conventional external aortic clamping (exoclamping; Chitwood) during minimally invasive mitral valve procedures. They conducted a single-centre study including 822 consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve procedures. Use of endoclamp was observed in 64 patients and the exoclamp in 758. Performing propensity-score (PS) matching, 63 patients per group were assessed. Outcomes suggest that for patients in which the exoclamp cannot be used, endoaortic clamping is a relevant and reasonably safe alternative to the conventional Chitwood exoclamp because safe mobilization of the ascending aorta is not possible.