Outcomes of robotically-assisted aortic valve surgery: A systematic review

IntroductionAortic valve disease is a noteworthy public health burden, with aortic valve surgery commonly being used to treat the condition. While aortic valve surgery is traditionally performed using an open approach involving median sternotomy, less invasive surgical methods have been developed over the years as an endeavour to improve surgical outcomes, such as the incorporation of robotic assistance. However, information and research regarding robotically-assisted aortic valve surgery remains scarce.MethodsThrough this original systematic review, which is the first of its kind, the outcomes of robotically-assisted aortic valve surgery were investigated. Ultimately, 26 papers involving a total of 362 cases were included in this study. Data items that directly relate to surgical outcomes were comprehensively recorded and tabulated. ResultsAnalyses of the data demonstrated that robotically-assisted aortic valve surgery is a feasible procedure with apparent safety and a relatively low risk for complications and adverse events. However, the level of existing evidence remains low due to several limitations including a lack of existing literature and potential publication bias.ConclusionTo accurately determine the safety profile of robotically-assisted aortic valve surgery and make meaningful comparisons between the procedure and other alternatives, future large-scale, multicenter cohort studies with comparators, or ideally randomised controlled trials followed by a meta-analysis of the results should be performed.