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Robotic Assisted Congenital Heart Surgery
Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
When minimally invasive interventions such as cardiac catheterization or valvuloplasty are not an option to treat congenital heart disease, a pediatric or adult heart care physician may recommend robotic assisted surgery as the best course for treatment.Innovative advancements in congenital heart surgical techniques have allowed congenital heart surgery to be performed with the heart still beating and without separating the breastbone (sternum) and ribcage. Robotic assisted surgery is performed with the da Vinci S™ Surgical System (da Vinci), a robotic computer technology.
Robotic assisted congenital heart surgery is performed for specific types of congential heart diseases such as:
- Atrial Septal Defects (ASD) – a defect (hole) between the heart's two upper chambers (the atria) that causes oxygen-rich blood to leak from the left side to the right side of the heart to be pumped back into the lungs.
- Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) – occurs when the blood vessel, called foramen ovale that joins the left and right atria, fails to close after birth.
Benefits of Robotic Assisted Congenital Heart Surgery
Robotic assisted congenital heart surgery offers benefits of shorter hospitalization, less bleeding, and a faster recovery.Robotic assisted congenital heart surgery is only ideal for patients at low risk of complications. Each patient's diagnosis and treatment is unique and your physician will recommend the best approach for you.
