Robotic surgery?

[Ptschannen]

My mitral valve is deteriorating and surgery is in my future. I’m 72, in good health besides aFib and my valve. I’m interested in robotic surgery and if I would qualify. Curious what other folks experience is.

[BobD Volunteer]

Might be a good idea to ask in BHF forum as well.

[RobertTonkiss]

I’m not sure about robotic surgery as I’ve not heard about it for heart surgery. I had an aortic valve replacement 7 years ago and although I am/was much younger (47 at the time) my surgery went well, despite my having rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. Your main issue will be whether you may need to change the anticoagulation I am on permanent warfarin but that’s more because my valve is a mechanical valve as opposed to a biologic valve. As with all operations there will be pros and cons that you will need to discuss with your surgeon.

[2learn]

Hi, I had valve repairs in 12/21. When I researched it I didn't find anything about robotic surgery. There seemed 2 types, open heart and minimally invasive which uses more cameras and stuff, but still done by surgeon. I had open heart cos not many experts in minimally invasive in UK and if anything goes wrong they will still open you up, also had ablation at same time. More in USA and Europe.

[GeoffNoLongerAS]

The information and experience with robotic surgery is related to prostate cancer and prostatectomy. From what I have learned my view is that this is the wrong question to ask.

The robot does not perform the surgery. There is a surgeon (actually at least 2) that operates the robot. The robot itself does not perform the surgery.

When I was researching treatments for PCa my first question was what treatments were available for my condition, then to find for example the best surgeon I could. Whether the whether that surgery was open, laparoscopic or robotic was not a concern.

Questions you may want to keep in mind is how many surgeries they have performed with the robot. Have they experienced failure of the robot during surgery? What is the fall back if it does?

In the end I found a surgeon that had done many prostatectomies.

I hope all goes well for you.