What is minimally invasive cardiac surgery?
The Cardiac Surgery Program at Inova Fairfax Hospital began performing Heartport+ and Mid-CAB surgeries in 1997. Since then, more than 200 procedures have been performed for coronary revascularization (bypass surgery), valve surgery, and other heart surgeries such as atrial septal defect repair.
With the Heartport+ procedure, traditional operations are performed using flexible endoscopes and small video cameras. In other words, Inova's cardiac surgeons make 2-3 small incisions on the chest wall to accommodate a videoscope and other instruments to visualize the heart. Ribs are not spread, and less tissue trauma occurs (than with traditional cardiac surgery). There is less post-operative pain and respiratory impairment, and a shorter recovery time.
The majority of the benefits occur after discharge. Since the sternum is not cut, your recovery time and time to return to a sense of well-being is accelerated. In addition, this surgery satisfies the need for more cost-effective care while quality is maintained.
Though the benefits are appealing, this surgery is not for everyone. Very specific inclusionary and exclusionary criteria are required to make it successful. For example, patients are excluded who have severe heart disease, who have a history of peripheral vascular disease, who are very small (adults who weigh less than 100 pounds) or who are very obese.