Robotic surgery is a new cutting-edge technology that has completely revolutionised the medical sector. Robotic surgery is an advanced procedure that enables surgeons to perform sophisticated surgeries on their patients. With robotic surgery, it is easy for surgeons to do surgery on areas of a body that are very hard to reach.
Robotic-assisted surgery has made the impossible possible. Surgeries involving the heart, digestive system, bladder, and prostate that require precision are now easily performed by surgeons. Robotic surgery is very different from traditional or open surgeries.
Instead of making large incisions, surgeons make small incisions to insert robotic arms into the patient’s body. Not only does this process cause less blood loss, but it also limits the need to push organs out of the way. For today’s article, we will provide detailed information on four robotic procedures for heart surgery.
Cardiac Tumour Removal:
An intracardiac tumour is a tumour that occurs in the heart and is either malignant or benign. Atrial myxoma is a tumour that primarily occurs in the left atrium and is the most common in the heart. It increases the risk of stroke in patients. As a result, heart surgery is the immediate answer to reduce the risk of stroke.
During the surgery, a surgeon makes small incisions in the left atrium to insert the robotic arms into the patient’s body. The surgeon controls the movement and placement of the endoscopic instruments through the small incisions. A combination of equipment is used to remove the tumour.
Atrial Septal Defect Repair:
Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) is a condition when there is a hole in the wall that separates the right from the left atria. It is a life-threatening defect that can cause too much strain on the heart and lungs, resulting in strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or mini-strokes).In rare cases, ASD closes on its own. However, in most cases, heart surgery is the only solution.
Robotically-assisted atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) repair are performed through small incisions. The small incisions are made on the right side of the chest. A surgeon’s hand movements control all the instruments, and pericardial tissue is retrieved from the thin sac that surrounds the heart and is used to repair the defect in the wall.
Tricuspid Valve Repair:
Tricuspid valve disease occurs when a heart’s valves do not function properly. Most of the time, the reason is either valve stenosis or regurgitation. However, it is necessary to repair or replace the tricuspid valve, or it may cause serious heart problems.
However, some cases may not require robotic-assisted heart surgery. The surgeons do some tests to determine whether the patient needs robotic surgery. Robotic surgery is very beneficial for both the patients and the surgeon, as it prevents excessive blood loss and helps surgeons reach hard-to-reach areas of the human body with tiny incisions.
Mitral Valve Repair:
As you know, there are four valves within your heart: mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonic. The mitral valve is present in the middle of the left atrium and the left ventricle. A patient suffering from mitral valve disease must undergo surgery to repair or replace the valve.
Traditional open-heart surgeries are very risky for a patient. It involves placing the patient on the heart-lung bypass machine to circulate oxygenated blood during the surgery. Moreover, this procedure involves creating a 6-8 inch incision from the sternum to the ribs to see the heart. However, the minimally invasive surgery reduces the incision to only 3-4 inches.
Conclusion:
Robotic-assisted surgery allows a surgeon to perform sophisticated treatment with ease. This procedure is very beneficial for the patients as it causes less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and faster healthy recovery. Moreover, it causes less pain during recovery and smaller scars.
We think this article was informative for you. Now, you know how and what heart procedures are done with the assistance of robots. Check out our other articles as well.
