Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Q&A
01.09.2017
In traditional open heart surgery, a cardiac surgeon accesses the heart through an incision made down the center of a patient’s breastbone and spreads open the ribs to view and repair the heart. In minimally invasive heart surgery procedures, small incisions are made on the side of the chest wall, and a cardiac surgeon uses specialized instruments, robots, or catheters to access the heart. While several types of heart surgeries can be treated through minimally invasive techniques, there are cases where traditional open heart surgery is best based on the patient’s history or anatomy. The cardiac surgeon will determine the best surgical approach.
Benefits of minimally invasive heart surgery include:
- Less pain due to smaller incisions than surgeries that access the heart through the breastbone
- Lower risk of complications such as less bleeding and less risk of infection
- Potentially less risk of atrial fibrillation, an irregular, often rapid, heart rate that can be triggered by heart surgery
- Faster return to daily activities as there is less time in the hospital and fewer restrictions on driving and lifting
- Better appearance as smaller incisions leave less visible scarring
- Hybrid Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
Some traditional coronary bypass grafts can instead be performed through a hybrid coronary artery bypass graft (hybrid CABG). In this procedure, small incisions on the chest and a surgical robot are used to create the bypass, and stents are used to open-up blockages in other areas of the heart.
- Hybrid Ablation and Minimally Invasive Cox Maze
Patients with atrial fibrillation may benefit from surgical techniques to treat their arrhythmia. Hybrid ablation and a minimally invasive Cox Maze procedure are two types of surgical treatments for arrhythmia. Like other minimally invasive heart surgeries, these procedures also use small incisions on the side of the chest wall, surgical robots and catheters to treat atrial fibrillation.
- Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair
Patients with mitral valve disease who need the recommended surgical intervention can also be treated through minimally invasive surgical techniques. In minimally invasive mitral valve repair, small incisions are made to the side of the chest to access the heart and repair the mitral valve.
- Mini Aortic Valve Repair or Replacements
Patients who have aortic regurgitation or aortic stenosis may be able to be treated through a mini aortic valve repair or replacement procedure. In this minimally invasive approach, small incisions are made to access the heart and repair the aorta, which avoids having a large incision made to access the heart through the breastbone.
- Minimally Invasive Thoracic Aorta Surgery
An aortic aneurysm occurs when the aorta wall becomes thin and dilates, putting it in danger of tearing. Surgical repair of the aorta involves going through the breastbone to access the aorta and replace the damaged section of the aorta with a graft. Just like other minimally invasive approaches, in a minimally invasive thoracic aorta surgery, the aorta is repaired through small chest incisions instead of going through the breastbone.
- Minimally Invasive LVAD Implants
Patients with heart failure who need treatment through a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy may be able to be surgically treated through a minimally invasive approach. In a minimally invasive LVAD implantation, small incisions to the chest wall are made to implant the device instead of making a large incision through the breastbone to access the heart.
Stanford Health Care cardiac surgeons conduct a thorough evaluation of the patient’s medical history and heart anatomy to determine the best course of treatment for a patient’s heart condition. We consistently look for the most effective, minimally invasive treatment approach that will provide the best outcomes for the patient.
For more information about minimally invasive heart surgery, visit Heart Surgery Clinic.
To speak to someone about minimally invasive heart surgery options, please call the Heart Surgery Clinic at 650-724-7500.