Robotic Coronary Bypass Surgery
What is the procedure?
Utilizing robotic equipment, the surgeon is able to perform bypass grafting through three port holes in the side of the patients chest rather than through an open breastbone incision.A camera and various instruments are inserted through the port holes and attached to the arms of the robot.
The lead surgeon, seated at the console manipulates the robot's arms.
The assisting surgeon is next to the patient and changes the instruments on the robot's arms as necessary.
The entire procedure is performed in a minimally evasive fashion.
Who is a good candidate for this procedure?
At the present time, we are performing robotic surgery primarily on patients who have single vesel (left anterior descending coronary artery disease). Patients with disease in other coronary arties might still be considered for totally endoscopic coronary atery bypass (TECAB) if the other artery blockages can be treated by interventaional pocedures with ballons or stents.Additionally, the clinical trial in which Saint Agnes Medical Center is enrolled, has numerous exclusion criteria which must be addressed.
What are the advantages to the patient?
- Less trauma with some reduction in pain.
- Lower risk of infection.
- Decreased recovery time.
- Reduced length of stay.