Robotic ASD Closure Surgery in Bangalore

Overview

Robotic-Assisted surgeries, which are mainly minimally invasive, are performed today in many hospitals. With the help of these advanced surgeries, trained surgeons can perform complex procedures with utmost agility and precision. One such heart surgery is the Robotic ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) Closure surgery.

Hospitals with advanced medical technology & state-of-the-art infrastructure, and specially trained surgeons like the Apollo Hospital, Karnataka, are capable of performing these advanced medical procedures on their patients.

Who needs ASD Closure?

An ASD closure refers to the surgical process of closing an atrial septal defect. In this condition, the patient essentially has a hole in the heart. The hole is present between both the upper heart chambers. An ASD can often go undiagnosed if it does not present any symptoms in the early years or in the nascent stages. Usually, atrial septal defect (ASD) presents symptoms like heart murmur, fatigue, heart palpitations, etc.

Sometimes if ASD is small and does not present any symptoms, it may not need to be treated but regularly monitored. However, if the hole is large, there is a high risk of blood leaking into the wrong chambers. This malfunction would then cause the heart and lungs to be under stress and work harder. This can be dangerous and lead to other medical complications like heart failure, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, stroke, pulmonary hypertension, shortness of breath, and an enlarged heart.

Therefore people who have larger atrial septal defects will require a closure procedure to close the hole and avoid any further complications.

Traditional ASD Closure

ASD closure is traditionally performed by open heart surgery. In this method, the surgeon makes a large incision through the chest wall in order to access the heart directly. Patches are then used to close the hole.

Another way to perform an ASD closure is through a catheter-based repair. In this method, a catheter is inserted through the chest or groyne area to reach the heart and perform the repair. The surgeon then passes a mesh patch or plug with the help of the catheter and uses it to close the hole/defect. The heart tissue will then grow around the seal and cover the hole permanently.

Every patient’s unique and may require different types of ASD closure procedures. In the case of primum defects, sinus venosus defects, large Secundum defects and coronary sinus atrial defects, open heart surgery is the only option. Catheter-based repair is suitable for patients with small Secundum defects.

The latest method in ASD Closure is robot-assisted ASD closure.

Robotic ASD Closure Procedure at Apollo Hospitals Karnataka

Robotic ASD closure requires experienced surgeons who can perform it with proficiency. This type of surgery follows a closed chest endoscopic approach and is minimally invasive. The specially trained cardiac surgeons place a robot inside the patient. The robot has thin arms attached to a camera and surgical instruments. The surgeon controls the robotic movements through a console while constantly looking at a screen that displays magnified live images of the heart. The surgeon uses the robot to correctly place the endoscopic instrument and uses it to retrieve a small patch of pericardial tissue. The tissue patch is then used to cover the atrial septal defect. The heart tissue will then cover the hole permanently.

Not every patient may be a candidate for robotic heart surgery. The certified doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka, will carefully monitor the patient and perform various tests to see if the concerned patient is the right candidate for robot-assisted ASD closure.

Robot-Assisted ASD Closure Benefits

There are several reasons why Robot ASD closures are revolutionising this type of repair and several other heart-related surgeries. Some of these include:

• Less trauma and pain to the patient due to keyhole incisions.
• Less blood loss.
• Lower risk of infection
• Reduced recovery period
• Shorter hospital stays

Open heart surgeries are major, requiring a fairly large incision and opening of the breastbone. This type of surgery can cause a lot of trauma and may not be suitable for many patients. Robot-assisted ASD closure in these cases can be a saviour and aid in increasing the quality of patients’ lives.

How will our doctors assist you after the procedure?

The doctors at Apollo Hospitals Karnataka not only specialise in robot-assisted surgeries but also in providing the best post-operative care. The patient will be kept in the ICU overnight or for a couple of days. With robot-assisted surgery, a hospital stay can be around 4-5 days long.

During this period, our doctors will assist you regarding the medications, observe your condition and monitor any possible complications. Before discharging the patient, the doctors will guide them about what to do during the recovery period at home and afterwards. They might also prescribe medications for a faster recovery.

We recommend that patients freely ask any queries they have with their surgeons, especially about what to do during the recovery period. The recovery period is usually shorter than open heart surgery, and patients can return to normal lives within 4-6 weeks.

Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka is a pioneer in robot-assisted heart surgeries with an expert team of cardiac surgeons and nursing staff. We provide front-to-end care and guidance to our patients and help them at every step of the treatment process.