Robotic cardiac surgery is an advancing minimally invasive technique that allows cardiac surgeons to perform what were once considered major surgical procedures through small incisions—without the need for sternotomies, the associated surgical risks, and lengthy recovery times.
At Dartmouth Health, Henry J. Tannous, MD, Section Chief of Cardiac Surgery, and his team will begin using the hospital's da Vinci robotic technology to perform mitral valve repair and replacement procedures.
With Dartmouth Health soon to become the only center in northern New England to offer robotic cardiac surgery, patients will no longer have to travel to Boston or New York to access this innovative surgical technique.
In more than 95 percent of cases, we can repair the mitral valve," said Dr. Tannous, "and very soon we will be able to perform these procedures robotically through small incisions. Our patients don't have to travel far from home to get this level of care.
According to Dr. Tannous, these small incisions—combined with the robotic surgical system's enhanced visibility and precision—enable surgeons to provide the same level of care as they would using traditional cardiac surgery techniques, but in a less invasive way.
"The robotic surgical system has four robotic arms—one to hold the camera, and three that hold the surgical instruments," said Dr. Tannous. "This effectively gives surgeons a third hand, and the added dexterity allows us to be more precise with our movements. The 10× magnification also gives us a better view from the surgical console compared to surgical loupes."
Dr. Tannous also said that most people who need isolated mitral valve replacement are candidates for robotic surgery. However, if other procedures—such as bypass surgery, multiple valve replacements, or aneurysm treatment—need to be performed at the same time, traditional open surgery is still the recommended approach.
As the robotic cardiac surgery program grows, Dr. Tannous said the team plans to conduct registry-based research on their surgical outcomes—to validate their approach and find new ways to leverage robotic technology in cardiac surgery.
"Robotic cardiac surgery will be game-changing for our program and our patients," said Dr. Tannous. "When patients come to Dartmouth, they can have the peace of mind that they are getting world-class collaborative care, and have access to all available treatment options—including robotic cardiac surgery."