The same surgical team performed the first robotic aortic valve replacement operation in January 2020, which paved the way for the combined procedure that took place Oct. 31, according to a Dec. 3 news release from WVU Medicine.
“Patients who have both valve disease and coronary artery disease have traditionally been treated by open-heart surgery performed through the breast bone,” Lawrence Wei, MD, professor in WVU’s department of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, and a WVU Heart & Vascular Institute team member, said in the release.
“This new approach may help us extend robotic surgery options to many more patients,” Goya Raikar, MD, assistant professor in WVU’s department of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, and robotic team member, said in the release.
The patient, a 73-year-old woman, was suffering from heart failure due to aortic valve issues and a significant blockage in her coronary artery. She is the world’s first patient to undergo combined robotic aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting through one small chest incision.
The patient’s heart function has improved after the successful operation. More details about the procedure are in the process of publication in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the release said.
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