Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital

Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital provides selected patients with cardiac surgical treatment using approaches designed to reduce the size of surgical incisions and minimize disruption to surrounding tissues. Depending on the heart condition, procedures may be used for selected valve disease, coronary artery disease and other structural heart conditions.

Price

Price on Request

Why Price on Request?

The cost depends on the type and complexity of cardiac procedure, diagnostic testing, surgical approach, anesthesia, hospitalization and follow-up care required. A personalized estimate is provided according to the patient's treatment plan.

Complete Description

What Is Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery?

Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery uses smaller incisions or specialized surgical approaches compared with traditional open-heart surgery for selected cardiac procedures.

The appropriate technique depends on:

• Heart condition

• Cardiac anatomy

• Surgical requirements

• Previous procedures

• Overall health

Who May Be a Candidate?

Selected patients with certain cardiac conditions may be evaluated for minimally invasive surgery, including some patients with:

• Heart valve disease

• Mitral valve disease

• Aortic valve disease

• Coronary artery disease

• Other structural heart conditions

Not every patient is a candidate for a minimally invasive approach.

Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery

Selected valve procedures may be performed through smaller incisions.

Potential procedures may include:

• Mitral valve repair

• Mitral valve surgery

• Selected aortic valve procedures

• Other appropriate valve operations

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery

For selected patients with mitral valve disease, surgeons may use specialized approaches designed to access the valve through smaller incisions.

Treatment may involve:

• Mitral valve repair

• Mitral valve replacement when repair is not appropriate

Minimally Invasive Coronary Surgery

Selected patients with coronary artery disease may be evaluated for less-invasive coronary surgical approaches.

Suitability depends on:

• Number of blocked arteries

• Location of disease

• Coronary anatomy

• Overall health

• Surgical requirements

Robotic-Assisted Cardiac Surgery

Some minimally invasive cardiac procedures may use advanced surgical technology or robotic assistance when clinically appropriate.

The technology used depends on the procedure and individual patient anatomy.

Cardiac Surgical Evaluation

Before surgery, patients may undergo:

• Cardiology consultation

• Cardiac surgery consultation

• Echocardiography

• ECG

• CT or other cardiac imaging

• Blood tests

• Anesthesia evaluation

Advanced Cardiac Imaging

Imaging may help surgeons evaluate:

• Heart anatomy

• Valve structure

• Coronary arteries

• Heart function

• Surgical access

Minimally Invasive Surgical Planning

The cardiac team considers:

• Diagnosis

• Disease severity

• Heart anatomy

• Previous surgery

• Overall health

• Expected benefits and risks

The surgical approach is individualized for each patient.

Potential Benefits

For appropriately selected patients, minimally invasive cardiac surgery may offer:

• Smaller surgical incisions

• Reduced tissue disruption

• Potentially less postoperative discomfort

• Shorter hospitalization in selected cases

• Faster return to normal activities in some patients

Results vary according to the procedure and individual patient.

Recovery After Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Recovery may include monitoring of:

• Heart rhythm

• Heart function

• Blood pressure

• Surgical sites

• Mobility

• Breathing

• Overall recovery

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation may be recommended after appropriate cardiac surgery.

It may include:

• Supervised exercise

• Strength and conditioning

• Activity guidance

• Lifestyle education

• Cardiovascular risk management

Potential Risks

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery still carries risks associated with cardiac surgery.

Potential complications may include:

• Bleeding

• Infection

• Abnormal heart rhythms

• Blood clots

• Stroke

• Heart complications

• Kidney complications

• Need to convert to a different surgical approach

Individual risks depend on the procedure and patient's health.

Minimally Invasive Surgery Second Opinion

Patients who have received a recommendation for cardiac surgery may seek a cardiac surgery second opinion to determine whether a minimally invasive approach may be appropriate.

Specialists may review:

• Echocardiograms

• CT scans

• Coronary imaging

• ECGs

• Medical records

• Previous procedures

• Proposed surgical plans

International Patients

International patients should provide relevant cardiac records whenever possible.

Useful documents may include:

• Echocardiogram reports

• ECG reports

• Cardiac CT

• Coronary angiography

• Previous cardiac procedure reports

• Blood-test results

• Medication list

Why Choose Massachusetts General Hospital for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery?

Massachusetts General Hospital's Corrigan Minehan Heart Center provides multidisciplinary cardiovascular care involving cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac imaging specialists and other cardiac professionals.

The cardiac team evaluates each patient's condition to determine the most appropriate surgical approach.

Cost & Price on Request

Price: Price on Request

Potential costs may include:

• Cardiology consultation

• Cardiac surgery consultation

• Diagnostic imaging

• Preoperative testing

• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery

• Anesthesia

• Hospitalization

• Cardiac rehabilitation

• Follow-up care

A personalized cost estimate should be requested according to the patient's treatment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is minimally invasive cardiac surgery?

It is cardiac surgery performed through smaller or specialized incisions compared with traditional surgical approaches for selected procedures.

2. Can every patient have minimally invasive heart surgery?

No. Eligibility depends on the heart condition, anatomy, surgical requirements, previous procedures and overall health.

3. What heart conditions can be treated with minimally invasive surgery?

Selected procedures may treat certain valve diseases, coronary artery disease and other structural heart conditions.

4. Does minimally invasive surgery mean there are no surgical risks?

No. Minimally invasive surgery still carries risks, and the specific risks depend on the procedure and patient's medical condition.

5. How much does minimally invasive cardiac surgery cost?

Price is available on request. The final cost depends on the procedure, diagnostic testing, hospitalization, anesthesia and follow-up care.

Product Details

Product Name: Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital

Hospital: Massachusetts General Hospital

Brand: Massachusetts General Hospital

Country: United States

Specialty: Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery

Service Type: Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Customer-Facing Price: Price on Request

International Patients: Available

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA