When medication and catheter-based treatments cannot relieve
symptoms, surgery remains the accepted treatment for a range
of cardiothoracic conditions, including but not limited to
mitral valve prolapse, atrial septal defect and coronary
artery disease.
Facing either traditional cardiac surgery or open surgery
to treat disorders of the organs and tissues in the chest
cavity can be a frightening experience. While it may be difficult
to focus on next steps, in fact, you may have several choices
to make, including which hospital and which surgeon to go
to, and which procedure to choose. Learning as much as possible
about your surgical options, including minimally invasive
alternatives to traditional open surgery may ease some of
your concerns.
While surgery is generally the most effective way to treat
disorders of the heart, lungs and esophagus, traditional
open surgery has a number of inherent drawbacks caused primarily
by making a large incision, splitting of the breastbone and
spreading the ribs to access the thoracic space. In addition
to an 8 to 10” scar down the center of your chest,
splitting of the breastbone leads to a lengthy recovery time
of eight to twelve weeks as well as a prolonged delay before
you will return to normal daily activities.
Fortunately, less invasive options are increasingly available
for patients facing cardiothoracic surgery. Many cardiothoracic
surgeons are recognizing the benefits of smaller incisions
made between the ribs to perform coronary bypass or make
repairs to the heart or esophagus under visualization using
thoracoscopy – the insertion of a miniaturized video
camera between the ribs. But this approach has limitations
and is not well suited to more complex cardiac procedures.
Enter the da Vinci® Surgical System, providing surgeons
and patients with what may be the most effective, least invasive
treatment alternative for even the most complex cardiothoracic
procedures such as mitral valve repair. Among the benefits
of da Vinci® cardiothoracic surgery are a reduced risk
of infection, less blood loss and need for blood transfusions,
shorter hospital stay, less pain and scarring, faster recovery
and a quicker return to normal activities. Additionally,
surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System offers the potential
for a better clinical outcome.
While clinical studies support the
effectiveness of the da Vinci® System when used
in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may
vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may
not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask
your doctor about all treatment options, as well as
their risks and benefits.
For additional information on minimally invasive surgery
with the da Vinci® Surgical System visit www.davincisurgery.com |
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