Robotic cardiac valve surgery: transcending the technologic crevasse!

With the profound public stress for minimally invasive surgery that guided General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery has progressed with warranted enthusiasm. The explosion of technological advancements in optics, instrumentation and cardiopulmonary bypass has permitted minimally invasive cardiac procedures to be performed with safety, efficiency, and efficacy. In this chapter, we review the evolution of minimally invasive cardiac valve surgery. The articles of leading minimally invasive valve surgeons, both European and American, are reviewed. The indications for minimally invasive surgery are explained. Furthermore, the present day state of "robotic" mitral valve surgery is described. Curr Opin Cardiol 2001, 16:146-151 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.