Robotic Mitral Valve Repair
Robotic Surgery for Mitral Valve Regurgitation
Mitral valve repair surgery is performed to correct a leaking mitral valve—a condition known as mitral valve regurgitation. This procedure offers excellent long-term outcomes in terms of preserving heart function and longevity. The use of robot-assisted mitral valve repair offers additional advantages: During traditional open-heart surgery, the heart is reached by cutting open the chest and dividing the breast bone. This median sternotomy approach requires a 10- to 12-inch incision through the sternal bone. In a robotic mitral valve repair procedure, the surgeon operates through a ½- to 1-inch incision in the right side of the chest, utilizing the magnified, 3-D view of the mitral valve and other structures provided by the robot's high-definition camera. Major incisions are avoided and the sternum doesn't need to be cut, dramatically reducing the traumatic impact of the operation. As a result, patients recover more quickly, experience less pain, and suffer fewer complications.
Robotic Mitral Valve Repair at NYULMC
Over the past two decades, NYU Langone has been a world leader in developing minimally-invasive approaches to mitral valve repair surgery. We have performed more minimally-invasive mitral valve repair procedures than any other hospital in the country, and are currently one of just a few medical centers in the nation to offer robot-assisted mitral valve repair. Our robotic surgical team includes Dr. Aubrey Galloway, Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Langone and one of the first surgeons to perform minimally-invasive mitral valve repair; Dr. Didier Loulmet, Chief of Cardiac Surgery, who assisted on the first robotic mitral valve repair procedure in 1998, and is a leading pioneer in the development of robot-assisted cardiothoracic procedures; and Dr. Eugene Grossi, Director of Robotics Research, another leader in the development of minimally-invasive mitral valve repair, and one of the earliest investigators of robot-assisted mitral valve repair techniques.
