Usually, cardiac surgery requires exposure of the heart. When a surgeon decides to perform minimally invasive heart surgery, there will be no need to divide the breastbone. The use of cardiopulmonary bypass will also be redundant. The patient will recover more quickly and the chance to contract infections is also vastly reduced. Most often, cardiac surgery requires exposure of the heart. When a surgeon decides to perform minimally invasive heart surgery, there will be no need to divide the breastbone. The use of cardiopulmonary bypass will also be redundant. The patient will recover more quickly and the chance to contract infections is also vastly reduced.
Surgeons have achieved amazing results through minimally invasive heart surgery, also often referred to as keyhole surgery or closed-chest heart surgery. The procedure is safe and the technique can be applied to a broad range of complex cardiac procedures. Most patients will prefer minimally invasive heart surgery as the recovery time and risks are far less than those of traditional surgery methods.
The benefits of minimally invasive surgical techniques include:
1. The surgeon only needs to make a small incision to complete the repair.
2. Patients will have small scars. There is no need to divide the breastbone.
3. A patient of minimally invasive or robotic heart surgery can count on a shorter stay at the hospital. On average, patients only need to stay for 3 to 5 days. Traditional heart surgery patients will spend at least 7 to 10 days in a medical facility.
4. The risk for infection is far less.
5. The chance for bleeding and the need for blood transfusions are also lower.
6. Patients of minimally invasive heart surgery typically need less recovery time. They can return to normal activities faster. After traditional heart surgery, patients often need 6 to 8 weeks to recover. Those who underwent a minimally invasive procedure or robotically assisted heart surgery will already be better after 2 to 4 weeks.
7. Patients will undergo less pain and trauma.
8. Minimally invasive heart surgery will be less expensive than traditional heart surgery.
Talk to your physician as not everyone is a candidate for minimally invasive heart surgery.