Given the choice of open heart surgery or robotic-assisted heart surgery, most doctors and patients would choose the latter. The robotic procedure is far less invasive of the patient and the recuperation is a fraction of the time required by traditional open-heart surgery.
Of course, not every patient is a candidate for robotic-assisted surgery. Neither can the technology be used for every surgical situation. But robotic-assisted surgery is being used very effectively to correct a range of routine and complex cardiac conditions, such as:
•   Mitral valve repair Â
•   Coronary artery bypass
•   Coronary artery disease Â
•   Cardiothoracic surgery Â
•   Mitral valve replacement
•   Atrial septal defect repair Â
•   Atrial myxoma and thrombi
•   Epicardial lead placement
•   Pericardial window
•   Cardiac and thoracic tumors
The more rapid recovery is one of the reason patients and doctors prefer robotic surgery. Traditional open heart surgery can mean an 8- to 12-inch incision on the chest and then cutting through the breastbone and spreading the ribs to get to the heart. The patient going through this could expect blood loss, pain and scarring – as well as a longer recuperation time. The difficult recovery – as well as the long scar – is one reason many traditional surgical patients say they joined the "zipper club."
Conversely, the patient undergoing robotic-assisted heart surgery will be operated on using a sophisticated surgical instrument that makes use of a 3-dimensional imaging system. The incisions made to the chest are only about 2 centimeters long – the width of one or two fingertips. As a result, there is virtually no scarring. And because the robotic instruments can weave between bones, the breastbone won't have to be cracked and the ribs won't have to be spread open. If you speak to many traditional surgical patients, they will tell you that the chest pain experienced during recuperation is difficult.
Many doctors experienced with robotic surgery say that many patients undergoing robotic-assisted heart surgery don't look like they went through heart surgery, as compared to patients undergoing traditional open heart surgery. With just a few small incisions made, there is minimal trauma to the body and far less pain. Doctors say most people feel back to normal and are out of the hospital in three or four days. Many go back to work a week later.
Other benefits include :Â Â
•   A shorter hospital stay, which makes you less prone to infection
•   Less risk of a wound infection because the wound is minimal
•   Less pain during recovery
•   Almost no scarring
•   Less blood loss and fewer transfusions
•   Quicker recovery and return to your normal activities
Doctors report great demand for robotic-assisted heart surgery – due primarily to the great results experienced by their patients.
Understand the technology
Before there was robotic-assisted surgery, there was traditional laparoscopic technology, which is also less invasive than traditional open-heart surgery. But the advent of robotic-assisted surgery has helped to overcome some of its predecessor's limitations. Robotics give the doctor a better view, control, more dexterity and control than laparoscopic technology. It also offers better range of motion.
The robotic system itself contains an ergonomically designed surgeon's console, a patient-side cart with four interactive robotic arms, 3-dimensional, high-definition vision and the actual robotic instruments. Using robotic technology, the instruments mimic the surgeon's hand movements. They are filtered to reduce tremors and move precisely as the surgeon directs. It may comfort patients to know that the robotic instruments cannot be programmed, nor can the instruments act on their own. Every movement must be directed by the surgeon, who remains at the console, while the cardiac surgical team remains by the patient.
Best use of the technology
Currently, there is just one company manufacturing and distributing the robotic line of equipment used in robotic-assisted surgery. As of June 2011, The da Vinci System manufacturer had installed 1,933 robotic systems. The company estimates that some 278,000 robotic-assisted surgical procedures were performed in 2010, which reflects a rise of 35 percent from the prior year. The goal is to reach 1 million annual procedures in the United States over the next few years.
The da Vinci Surgical System is being used worldwide, including the United States, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia and Turkey.
In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the da Vinci Surgical System for use in a wide range of procedures.
The name of the system – the da Vinci Surgical System is named partly for that famed Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci, who invented the first robot. The master artist was also known for the anatomical accuracy and three-dimensional details he created in his works of art. It is that same enhanced detail and precision that the robotic-assisted tools brings to today's hospitals.
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. All medical information presented should be discussed with your healthcare professional. Remember, the failure to seek timely medical advice can have serious ramifications. We urge you to discuss any current health related problems you are experiencing with a healthcare professional immediately.
Of course, not every patient is a candidate for robotic-assisted surgery. Neither can the technology be used for every surgical situation. But robotic-assisted surgery is being used very effectively to correct a range of routine and complex cardiac conditions, such as:
•   Mitral valve repair Â
•   Coronary artery bypass
•   Coronary artery disease Â
•   Cardiothoracic surgery Â
•   Mitral valve replacement
•   Atrial septal defect repair Â
•   Atrial myxoma and thrombi
•   Epicardial lead placement
•   Pericardial window
•   Cardiac and thoracic tumors
The more rapid recovery is one of the reason patients and doctors prefer robotic surgery. Traditional open heart surgery can mean an 8- to 12-inch incision on the chest and then cutting through the breastbone and spreading the ribs to get to the heart. The patient going through this could expect blood loss, pain and scarring – as well as a longer recuperation time. The difficult recovery – as well as the long scar – is one reason many traditional surgical patients say they joined the "zipper club."
Conversely, the patient undergoing robotic-assisted heart surgery will be operated on using a sophisticated surgical instrument that makes use of a 3-dimensional imaging system. The incisions made to the chest are only about 2 centimeters long – the width of one or two fingertips. As a result, there is virtually no scarring. And because the robotic instruments can weave between bones, the breastbone won't have to be cracked and the ribs won't have to be spread open. If you speak to many traditional surgical patients, they will tell you that the chest pain experienced during recuperation is difficult.
Many doctors experienced with robotic surgery say that many patients undergoing robotic-assisted heart surgery don't look like they went through heart surgery, as compared to patients undergoing traditional open heart surgery. With just a few small incisions made, there is minimal trauma to the body and far less pain. Doctors say most people feel back to normal and are out of the hospital in three or four days. Many go back to work a week later.
Other benefits include :Â Â
•   A shorter hospital stay, which makes you less prone to infection
•   Less risk of a wound infection because the wound is minimal
•   Less pain during recovery
•   Almost no scarring
•   Less blood loss and fewer transfusions
•   Quicker recovery and return to your normal activities
Doctors report great demand for robotic-assisted heart surgery – due primarily to the great results experienced by their patients.
Understand the technology
Before there was robotic-assisted surgery, there was traditional laparoscopic technology, which is also less invasive than traditional open-heart surgery. But the advent of robotic-assisted surgery has helped to overcome some of its predecessor's limitations. Robotics give the doctor a better view, control, more dexterity and control than laparoscopic technology. It also offers better range of motion.
The robotic system itself contains an ergonomically designed surgeon's console, a patient-side cart with four interactive robotic arms, 3-dimensional, high-definition vision and the actual robotic instruments. Using robotic technology, the instruments mimic the surgeon's hand movements. They are filtered to reduce tremors and move precisely as the surgeon directs. It may comfort patients to know that the robotic instruments cannot be programmed, nor can the instruments act on their own. Every movement must be directed by the surgeon, who remains at the console, while the cardiac surgical team remains by the patient.
Best use of the technology
Currently, there is just one company manufacturing and distributing the robotic line of equipment used in robotic-assisted surgery. As of June 2011, The da Vinci System manufacturer had installed 1,933 robotic systems. The company estimates that some 278,000 robotic-assisted surgical procedures were performed in 2010, which reflects a rise of 35 percent from the prior year. The goal is to reach 1 million annual procedures in the United States over the next few years.
The da Vinci Surgical System is being used worldwide, including the United States, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia and Turkey.
In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the da Vinci Surgical System for use in a wide range of procedures.
The name of the system – the da Vinci Surgical System is named partly for that famed Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci, who invented the first robot. The master artist was also known for the anatomical accuracy and three-dimensional details he created in his works of art. It is that same enhanced detail and precision that the robotic-assisted tools brings to today's hospitals.
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. All medical information presented should be discussed with your healthcare professional. Remember, the failure to seek timely medical advice can have serious ramifications. We urge you to discuss any current health related problems you are experiencing with a healthcare professional immediately.