[Tips for Successful Robot-assisted Mitral Valve Repair]

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Robotic Surgery

Background:

• Robot-assisted valve repair is an advancement of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS), covered by national insurance since April 2018.
• Limited adoption is due to specialized facility requirements and the need for high surgeon expertise, with a longer learning curve than conventional MICS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe procedural innovations, cardiopulmonary bypass establishment, surgical outcomes, and challenges in robot-assisted valve repair.
• To highlight the hospital's experience with over 120 robot-assisted valve repair surgeries since June 2018.

Main Methods:

• Routine application of the loop technique for valve repair.
• Leveraging experience from median sternotomy and MICS for robotic procedures.
• Focus on "no compromise in the quality of valve repair" policy.

Main Results:

• Robot-assisted surgery significantly enhances surgical field visualization.
• Improved operability is achieved, even in complex valve repair cases.
• Successful implementation and performance of >120 surgeries to date.

Conclusions:

• Robot-assisted valve repair is a safe and effective procedure when established with appropriate expertise and techniques.
• The technology offers advantages in visualization and operability for complex cardiac valve repairs.
• Continued focus on procedural innovation and addressing challenges is key to widespread adoption and improved patient outcomes.