Be maximally confident about minimally invasive surgery

Q: My father is slated to have robotic surgery to fix a leaky mitral valve in his heart. They say it’s going to be minimally invasive. What does that mean? And is it really safe to have a robot poking around inside a person’s heart? -- Gerry F., Franklin, Tennessee

A: Let’s talk about robots first, and then minimally invasive heart surgery. Robotic surgery is done with a trained surgeon controlling a camera and mechanical arms with surgical instruments attached to them. The surgeon is at a computer console, where he or she sees a high-definition, magnified 3D view of the surgical site. This technology lets surgeons perform complex procedures (they control the arms of the robot) that may have been more difficult or even impossible with other methods -- in part because the surgeon has such a clear view of a patient’s anatomy, and because robots can be “told” precisely how to navigate in a body with information from CT scans and ultrasounds.

These days a robot is often used in minimally invasive cardiac procedures that require only small incisions, often less than 2 inches long between the ribs. The precision of the robots’ movements and the delicacy of the process is great for patients. There is less risk of infection, fewer complications, less pain and blood loss, and quicker recovery with smaller scars. Some centers, like the Cleveland Clinic, which does more than 2,000 of these procedures annually, have complication rates of 0.5% or less. Just 10 years ago, your dad wouldn’t have had the chance to have his valve repaired without going through much higher-risk, open-heart surgery.

Still have questions? Make an appointment to talk to the surgeon and take a list of topics to ask about so you discuss all your concerns. Your dad is lucky to have you in his corner.