Totally endoscopic robotic coronary artery bypass surgery

Robotic Cardiac Surgery Part II: Anesthetic Considerations for Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Coronary artery bypass grafting represents one of the most commonly performed cardiac surgeries worldwide. Recently, interest has increased in providing patients with a less invasive approach to cardiac surgery, such as thoracotomy and endoscopic techniques using robotic technology as an alternative to traditional sternotomy. As the population gets older, the need for additional methods to provide care for sick patients will continue to expand. These advancements will further allow physicians to provide cardiac surgical procedures with less pain and faster recovery for patients.

Anaesthetic issues in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery

Over the past decade there has been an exponential increase in the number of robotic-assisted surgical procedures performed in Australia and internationally. Despite this growth, there are no level I or II studies examining the anaesthetic implications of these procedures. Available observational studies provide insight into the significant challenges for the anaesthetist. Most anaesthetic considerations overlap with those of non-robotic surgery. However, issues with limited patient access and extremes of positioning resulting in physiological disturbances and risk of injury are consistently demonstrated concerns specific to robotic-assisted procedures.