Cardiothoracic Surgery
 |
Dr. David Duke explains
the benefits of robotic-assisted
heart surgery. |
When medication and catheter-based treatments cannot relieve symptoms,
surgery remains the accepted treatment for a range of cardiothoracic
conditions, including but not limited to
mitral valve prolapse,
atrial septal defect and
coronary artery disease.
Facing either traditional cardiac surgery or open surgery to treat disorders
of the organs and tissues in the chest cavity can be a frightening
experience. While it may be difficult to focus on next steps, in fact, you
may have several choices to make, including which hospital and which surgeon
to go to, and which procedure to choose. Learning as much as possible about
your surgical options, including minimally invasive alternatives to
traditional open surgery may ease some of your concerns.
While surgery is generally the most effective way to treat disorders of the
heart, lungs and esophagus, traditional open surgery has a number of
inherent drawbacks caused primarily by making a large incision, splitting of
the breastbone and spreading the ribs to access the thoracic space. In
addition to an 8 to 10” scar down the center of your chest, splitting of the
breastbone leads to a lengthy recovery time of eight to twelve weeks as well
as a prolonged delay before you will return to normal daily activities.
Fortunately, less invasive options are increasingly available for patients
facing cardiothoracic surgery. Many cardiothoracic surgeons are recognizing
the benefits of smaller incisions made between the ribs to perform coronary
bypass or make repairs to the heart or esophagus under visualization using
thoracoscopy — the insertion of a miniaturized video camera between the
ribs. But this approach has limitations and is not well suited to more
complex cardiac procedures.
Enter the da Vinci® Surgical System, providing surgeons
and patients with what may be the most effective, least invasive treatment
alternative for even the most complex cardiothoracic procedures such as
mitral valve repair. Among the benefits of robotic-assisted cardiothoracic
surgery are a reduced risk of infection, less blood loss and
need for blood transfusions, shorter hospital stay, less pain and scarring,
faster recovery and a quicker return to normal activities. Additionally,
robotic-assisted surgery offers the
potential for a better clinical outcome.
Learn more
about the use of robotic-assisted surgery for:
View our heart surgery
brochure (PDF).
While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the
da Vinci® System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual
results may vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not
be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all
treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.
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