ObjectiveTo summary the safety and efficiency of the minimally invasive direct cardiac surgery (MIDCS) approach in elderly patients with heart disease. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 60 patients underwent MIDCS in Beijng Anzhen Hospital between April 2010 and January 2013. There were 34 males and 26 females with mean age of 66.4±4.8 years and mean weight of 66.1±10.6 kg. ResultsMean cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp time was 141.2±57.2 minutes and 99.8±37.6 minutes respectively. A total of 37 patients (90.2%) recovered to beat automatically after heart ceased operation. Median mechanical ventilation time was 17.1±9.1 hours. Mean intensive care unit stay was 22.1±12.2 hours. Mean post operative hospital stay was 7.0±2.5 days. Mean incision length was 5.3±0.9 cm. Mean pericardial draining volume was 466.6±412.1 ml in the first day after operation. No transfusion occurred in 27 (45.0%) patients. Early postoperative mortality was 3.3% (2/60). There were 2 patients of reexplorations for bleeding, 1 patient of the twice tracheal intubation, 1 patient of cardiac arrest after operation, 2 patients of poor healing of skin incision, and 1 patient of injury of right phrenic nerve. When leaving hospital, 47 patients were in heart functional class Ⅰ, 8 patients in class Ⅱ, and 3 patients in class Ⅲ. ConclusionMIDCS is associated with good operative effect in the near future with superior safety and broad application range in elderly patients with heart disease.