Robotic Assisted CABG Surgery in Bangalore

Overview

Minimally invasive surgeries have become a common procedure to treat numerous medical conditions. And Robot-Assisted Surgery (RAS) is the latest advancement in the field of minimally invasive surgeries. Such types of surgeries offer high precision and dexterity and offer a number of benefits in patient recovery when compared to traditional surgeries.

Robot-assisted surgeries are only available in some advanced hospitals, and only surgeons who have been properly trained and board-certified in performing such procedures are allowed to perform them. The cardiac surgeons at Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka, are specially trained in performing robotic surgeries, including CABG and other highly advanced medical procedures to treat various heart conditions.

Who needs CABG?

Heart disease is a leading cause of death among men and women globally. Changes in lifestyle & diet and increasing age are major factors contributing to major heart diseases, such as coronary heart disease. Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery is performed on patients who have coronary heart disease.

The heart is an important organ of the body. It works hard 24/7 to supply our organs with blood. However, sometimes the arteries or the heart can get narrowed due to the build-up of fat, calcium, or other substances. This is called plaque, and the build-up of such material narrows the arteries, thereby restricting the blood flow through them. The risk of having coronary artery disease increases with age and obesity and is high for those who smoke a lot.

Coronary heart disease may cause several problems, like chest pain (angina). This occurs when the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. CABG may be performed if the patient suffers from severe angina. Coronary heart disease also increases the risk of having a heart attack in patients. Blockages and extreme narrowing of the artery will require patients to have a CABG to relieve the patient of symptoms and reduce the risk of having a heart attack.

It must be noted, though, that CABG does not cure coronary heart disease. It, however, helps in the reduction of symptoms and risk factors and improves the quality of patients’ lives.

Traditional CABG Surgery

Traditional CABG surgeries are common around the world. Conventional surgeries have been used for a long time to perform a CABG. A typical CABG procedure is aimed at taking a blood vessel from another part of the body and attaching it to the coronary artery. The blood vessel may be taken from the chest, leg or arm. The graft is then attached above and below the narrowed area or blockage.

In traditional open heart surgeries, the surgeon makes a large incision through the breastbone opening the sternum and spreading the ribs to reach the heart. The patient’s heart is stopped for the procedure to be performed. The patient is therefore put on a heart-lung machine that keeps blood and oxygen flowing through the body. The operation typically takes about 3-6 hours while the patient is put under general anaesthesia.

Robot-Assisted CABG

As minimally invasive procedures make headways in medical science, robot-assisted CABG is one of the least invasive heart procedures being performed. This type of surgery uses keyhole incisions, usually smaller than 2 inches long. The surgeons will operate with the help of robotic arms attached to surgical instruments and a high-definition camera through them.

In many robot-assisted CABGs, special tools are used to stabilise the part of the heart where the surgery is performed. This allows the heart to continue beating throughout the procedure. A few studies show that robot-assisted CABG appears promising and may offer benefits to patients when compared to traditional open heart surgeries.

Robot-Assisted CABG Benefits

Robot-assisted CABG offers several benefits to the patient. Some of these are mentioned below:

• The robot works with high precision and dexterity and reduces the chances of human error during the surgery.
• It saves the patient from large incisions, thereby reducing trauma, pain, scarring, and blood loss.
• Keyhole incisions help in quicker recovery and reduce hospital stays.
• The surgery takes less time.

How is Robot-assisted CABG performed at Apollo Hospitals Karnataka?

The surgery will be performed under general anaesthesia. The experienced surgeons of Apollo Hospitals Karnataka will make tiny incisions and insert the robotic arms through them. The robotic arm is attached to surgical instruments and a camera; the camera provides highly magnified and high-definition 3D live images on a screen. The surgeon sits at a console and controls the robotic arm. To perform the graft, the surgeon may utilise the internal mammary artery or arteries located in your chest. The surgeon will harvest the mammary artery and direct the robot through the console to move one end of the internal mammary artery and graft it to the blocked artery at a point below the blockage. This will restore the blood flow to the heart.

Once the graft is done successfully, the surgeon will retract the robot and close up the incisions. The surgery usually takes around 1- 4 hours (still less than the traditional alternative).

What happens after the CABG Procedure?

After the surgery, the patient will remain in the hospital for 2-3 days for observation or longer as per the patient’s individual condition. During this time, the patient will be given medications and IV fluids.

Our doctors will guide the patient regarding their medication and propose further lifestyle and dietary changes to help them manage coronary heart disease. The nursing staff at Apollo Hospitals Karnataka specialises in post-surgical care and helping patients in their recovery periods.

Recovery Period

The recovery period for a robot-assisted CABG is less than for traditional open heart surgery. Although the patient will be discharged after 2-3 days, full recovery may take around two weeks. Our medical professionals will guide the patients regarding recovery and give guidelines to follow.

Robot-Assisted CABG is a highly advanced medical procedure that is not widely available in all hospitals. Such technologically advanced minimally invasive procedures are performed at Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka, with utmost care and precision under a board-certified team of surgeons and other specialists.