Modern Technology
Minimally Invasive Closed Heart Surgery
Invasive heart surgery is performed with small incisions, thus, bleeding is reduced, the risk of infection is reduced, and the healing process is shortened.
Traditional heart surgery is performed by opening the rib cage completely, with a large incision running vertically along the breastbone (sternum) that holds the ribs together.
However, the classical method open heart surgery may be necessary for those who have previously had closed heart surgery and shall have their second surgery or in the complicated bypass surgeries due to multi-vessel occlusion.
Minimally invasive surgical approaches are preferred because the full opening of the chest cage causes trauma to the bones and tissues in a large area.
What Does Minimally Invasive Mean?
The minimally invasive approach, which was developed to reduce surgical incisions and minimize tissue damage, forms the basis of closed surgery and robotic surgery applications.
In minimally invasive surgical methods, minimal incisions are made to reach the organ or tissue to be operated, and the operation is performed closed with the help of imaging devices.
What is Minimally Invasive Closed Heart Surgery?
Minimally invasive cardiac surgery; The term covers the surgeries for closure of congenital or fetal heart hole such as heart valve replacement or repair, coronary artery bypass surgery, removal of tumors in the heart, PFO and Ventricular-Atrial septal defect through heart surgeries performed with small incisions in the armpit, right/left under the breast, under the collarbone or at a certain point on the breastbone.
How is Small Incision Heart Surgery Performed?
Small incision heart surgery, also known as closed heart surgery, is, just like any other open heart surgeries, performed under general anesthesia in a fully equipped operating room and hospitals.
Depending on the neccecisities of the heart surgery to be performed, the valve is replaced or repaired by entering the most suitable incision sites, clogged heart vessels are replaced or opened, the hole in the heart is repaired, the existing tumor is removed, etc.
Advantages of Minimally Invasive Closed Heart Surgery
- Minimally invasive heart surgery is a far-more-efortless operation compared to open heart surgery, as it is performed without cutting the bone and opening the thorax.
- After closed heart surgery, the process goes by in extremely mild condition compared to traditional heart surgery
- Tissue damage and surgical trauma are significantly reduced.
- The healing process goes much faster.
- After the operation, the patient feels less pain.
- Bleeding decreases during and after the operation.
- The risk of infection and complications is significantly reduced.
- Since the integrity of the chest cage is preserved, conditions such as restriction of movement do not develop after the operation.
- One of the biggest advantages of minimally invasive surgery is that the scar is to be very small.