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Robotic Cardiac Surgery in Colombia: Overcoming the Challenges of a Middle-income Setting
Darío Andrade1, Eric E Vinck1, Juan F Parra1
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fundacion Clinica Shaio, Bogotá, Colombia.
Insights
This study details the first robotic cardiac surgeries performed in Colombia, overcoming resource limitations. These pioneering procedures highlight the potential for advanced cardiac surgery in low-income countries.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Robotic Surgery
Background:
- Developing countries face resource limitations impacting cardiac surgery advancements.
- Colombia lacks infrastructure for minimally invasive and robotic-assisted cardiac surgery (RACS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the initial cases of robotic cardiac surgery performed in Colombia.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of RACS in resource-limited settings.
Main Methods:
- Performance of the first robotic cardiac surgeries in Colombia.
- Overcoming infrastructure and resource challenges.
Main Results:
- Successful execution of initial robotic cardiac surgery cases in Colombia.
- Demonstration of overcoming challenges in a low-income setting.
Conclusions:
- Robotic cardiac surgery is achievable in resource-limited settings like Colombia.
- These pioneering cases pave the way for future advancements in cardiac surgery in developing nations.
Abstract:
In developing countries, limited resources and low health budgets result in slow developments in the field of cardiac surgery. As a consequence, advances in surgery become a challenging process. In Colombia, most institutions do not have the capacity or infrastructure for minimally invasive and video-assisted cardiac surgery, let alone robotic assisted cardiac surgery (RACS). Despite the challenges, efforts to overcome these hurdles are critical for the future of cardiac surgery in low-income settings. Here we describe the first cases of robotic cardiac surgeries performed in Colombia.
