Robotic-Assisted Solutions for Invasive Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery and Routine On-Ward Tasks: A Narrative Review

Robots are defined as programmable machines that can perform specified tasks. Medical robots are emerging solutions in the field of cardiology leveraging recent technological innovations of control systems, sensors, actuators, and imaging modalities. Robotic platforms are successfully applied for percutaneous coronary intervention, invasive cardiac electrophysiology procedures as well as surgical operations including minimally invasive aortic and mitral valve repair, coronary artery bypass procedures, and structural heart diseases. Furthermore, machines are used as staff-assisting tools to support nurses with repetitive clinical duties i.e., food delivery. High precision and resolution allow for excellent maneuverability, enabling the performance of medical procedures in challenging anatomies that are difficult or impossible using conventional approaches. Moreover, robot-assisted techniques protect operators from occupational hazards, reducing exposure to ionizing radiation, and limiting risk of orthopedic injuries. Novel automatic systems provide advantages for patients, ensuring device stability with optimized utilization of fluoroscopy. The acceptance of robotic technology among healthcare providers as well as patients paves the way for widespread clinical application in the field of cardiovascular medicine. However, incorporation of robotic systems is associated with some disadvantages including high costs of installation and expensive disposable instrumentations, the need for large operating room space, and the necessity of dedicated training for operators due to the challenging learning curve of robotic-assisted interventional systems.

No-touch aorta robot-assisted atrial septal defect repair via two ports

OBJECTIVES

Atrial septal defect (ASD) repairs have been successfully performed on arrested hearts with robotic assistance. The present study assessed the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of totally endoscopic cardiac surgery using a no-touch aorta technique for ASD via only 2 ports, and we named this procedure two-port robotic cardiac surgery (TROCS).

METHODS

Between May 2014 and June 2016, 8 consecutive patients underwent TROCS for ASD using the da Vinci surgical system (Intuitive Surgical Inc.) at our institute. All of the procedures were performed via only 2 port incisions in the right chest. One was the camera port, and the other was the port for the robotic instruments. Both robotic instruments were inserted through this port and crossed while being prevented from colliding with each other. The surgeon console was set to the reverse of default settings so that both masters would control the inverse instrument. TROCS for ASD was carried out under ventricular fibrillation induced by combinations of an electrical fibrillator, injection of potassium, and hypothermia without aortic cross-clamping.

RESULTS

All cases were successfully repaired. The mean operation, cardiopulmonary bypass and ventricular fibrillation times were 129.6 ± 29.0 min, 66.9 ± 24.5 min and 9.6 ± 5.9 min, respectively, and the estimated blood loss volume was 28.1 ± 58.6 ml. No patients required blood transfusion during their hospital stay, and their cosmetic results were excellent.

CONCLUSIONS

TROCS for ASD using no-touch aorta technique was achieved safely with good clinical results and excellent cosmetic results.

Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery in China: Multi-Center Experience

BACKGROUND To the best of our knowledge, there is no nationwide data available on the development of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) in China. The purpose of this study was to report the results of MICS in 6 experienced centers in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS From September 2014 to July 2016, 1241 patients with cardiac conditions who underwent MICS procedures were randomly enrolled in 6 centers in China, and those patients were randomly selected for inclusion in this study. The MICS procedures were defined as any cardiac surgery performed through a less invasive incision, rather than a complete median sternotomy, mainly including mini-incision surgery (400, 32.2%), video-assisted approach (265, 21.3%), completely thoracoscopic approach without robotic assistance (504, 40.6%), and robotic procedure (55, 4.4%). RESULTS The 5 most common in-hospital complications were respiratory failure (28, 2.3%), reoperation for all reasons (19, 1.5%), renal failure (11, 0.9%), heart failure (9, 0.7%), and stroke (6, 0.5%). The multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (P=0.033), aortic cross-clamp time (P=0.003), cannulation approach (P=0.010), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P=0.003) at baseline were all significant risk factors of any in-hospital complication of MICS procedures. CONCLUSIONS From our experience, minimally invasive cardiac approaches are safe and reproducible, with acceptable CPB and aortic cross-clamp time duration and low mortality.

Robot-assisted cardiac surgery

Recognition of the significant advantages of minimizing surgical trauma has resulted in the development of minimally invasive surgical procedures. Endoscopic surgery offers patients the benefits of minimally invasive surgery, and surgical robots have enhanced the ability and precision of surgeons. Consequently, technological advances have facilitated totally endoscopic robotic cardiac surgery, which has allowed surgeons to operate endoscopically rather than through a median sternotomy during cardiac surgery. Thus, repairs for structural heart conditions, including mitral valve plasty, atrial septal defect closure, multivessel minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCAB), and totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), can be totally endoscopic. Robot-assisted cardiac surgery as minimally invasive cardiac surgery is reviewed.

Robotic cardiac surgery: an anaesthetic challenge

Robotic cardiac surgery with the da Vinci robotic surgical system offers the benefits of a minimally invasive procedure, including a smaller incision and scar, reduced risk of infection, less pain and trauma, less bleeding and blood transfusion requirements, shorter hospital stay and decreased recovery time. Robotic cardiac surgery includes extracardiac and intracardiac procedures. Extracardiac procedures are often performed on a beating heart. Intracardiac procedures require the aid of peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass via a minithoracotomy. Robotic cardiac surgery, however, poses challenges to the anaesthetist, as the obligatory one-lung ventilation (OLV) and CO2 insufflation may reduce cardiac output and increase pulmonary vascular resistance, potentially resulting in hypoxaemia and haemodynamic compromise. In addition, surgery requires appropriate positioning of specialised cannulae such as an endopulmonary vent, endocoronary sinus catheter, and endoaortic clamp catheter under the guidance of transoesophageal echocardiography. Therefore, cardiac anaesthetists should have a working knowledge of these systems, OLV and haemodynamic support.

Robotics in cardiac surgery: past, present, and future

Robotic cardiac operations evolved from minimally invasive operations and offer similar theoretical benefits, including less pain, shorter length of stay, improved cosmesis, and quicker return to preoperative level of functional activity. The additional benefits offered by robotic surgical systems include improved dexterity and degrees of freedom, tremor-free movements, ambidexterity, and the avoidance of the fulcrum effect that is intrinsic when using long-shaft endoscopic instruments. Also, optics and operative visualization are vastly improved compared with direct vision and traditional videoscopes. Robotic systems have been utilized successfully to perform complex mitral valve repairs, coronary revascularization, atrial fibrillation ablation, intracardiac tumor resections, atrial septal defect closures, and left ventricular lead implantation. The history and evolution of these procedures, as well as the present status and future directions of robotic cardiac surgery, are presented in this review.

Totally thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of atrial septal defect without of the robotic Da Vinci surgical system

BACKGROUND

More and more surgeons and patients focus on the minimally invasive surgical techniques in the 21st century. Totally thoracoscopic operation provides another minimal invasive surgical option for patients with ASD (atrial septal defect). In this study, we reported our experience of 61 patients with atrial septal defect who underwent totally thoracoscopic operation and discussed the feasibility and safety of the new technique.

METHODS

From January 2010 to October 2012, 61 patients with atrial septal defect underwent totally thoracoscopic closure but not traditional median sternotomy surgery. We divided the 61 patients into two groups based on the operation sequence. The data of group A (the first 30 cases) and group B (the last 31 cases). The mean age of the patients was 35.1 ± 12.8 years (range, 6.3 to 63.5 years), and mean weight was 52.7 ± 11.9 kg (range, 30.5 to 80 kg). Mean size of the atrial septal defect was 16.8 ± 11.3 mm (range, 13 to 39 mm) based on the description of the echocardiography.

RESULTS

All patients underwent totally thoracoscopy successfully, 36 patients with pericardium patch and 25 patients were sutured directly. 7 patients underwent concomitant tricuspid valvuloplasty with Key technique. No death, reoperation or complete atrioventricular block occurred. The mean time of cardiopulmonary bypass was 68.5 ± 19.1 min (range, 31.0 to 153.0 min), the mean time of aortic cross-clamp was 27.2 ± 11.3 min (range, 0.0 to 80.0 min) and the mean time of operation was 149.8 ± 35.7 min (range, 63.0 to 300.0 min). Postoperative mechanical ventilation averaged 4.9 ± 2.5 hours (range, 3.5 to 12.6 hours), and the duration of intensive care unit stay 20.0 ± 4.8 hours (range, 15.5 to 25 hours). The mean volume of blood drainage was 158 ± 38 ml (range, 51 to 800 ml). No death, residual shunt, lung atelectasis or moderate tricuspid regurgitation was found at 3-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The totally thoracoscopic operation is feasible and safe for patients with ASD, even with or without tricuspid regurgitation. This technique provides another minimal invasive surgical option for patients with atrial septal defect.

Totally thoracoscopic surgical treatment for atrial septal defect: mid-term follow-up results in 45 consecutive patients

BACKGROUND

Totally thoracoscopic operation provides minimally invasive alternative for patients with atrial septal defect. In this study, we report the mid-term follow-up results of 45 patients with atrial septal defect who underwent totally thoracoscopic operation and discuss the feasibility and safety of this new technique.

METHODS

From January 2010 to February 2012, 45 patients with atrial septal defect underwent totally thoracoscopic closure as an alternative to traditional median sternotomy surgery. The mean age of the patients was 33.2±12.5 years (range 6.3-61.5 years), and mean weight was 55.7±11.1 kg (range 30.5-80 kg). Based on echocardiography the mean size of the atrial septal defect was 16.0±10.8mm (range 13-39 mm).

RESULTS

All patients underwent totally thoracoscopic repair. Twenty-five patients with a pericardial patch and 20 patients were sutured directly. Five patients underwent concomitant tricuspid valvuloplasty with Kay technique. No death, reoperation or complete atrioventricular block occurred. The mean time of cardiopulmonary bypass was 70.5±20.6 min (range 31.0-153.0 min), the mean time of aortic cross-clamp was 28.8±13.3 min (range 0.0-80.0 min) and the mean time of operation was 155.8±36.8 min (range 65.0-300.0 min). Postoperative mechanical ventilation averaged 5.1±2.8h (range 3.6-12.6h), and the duration of intensive care unit stay 20.0±5.6h (range 16.2-25 h). The mean volume of blood drainage was 156±36 ml (range 51-800 ml). No death, residual shunt, lung atelectasis or moderate tricuspid regurgitation was found at three-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Totally thoracoscopic repair is feasible and safe for patients with ASD, even with or without tricuspid regurgitation however more clinical data is needed in the future study.

Robotically assisted mitral valve replacement

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, we determined the safety and efficacy of robotic mitral valve replacement using robotic technology.

METHODS

From January 2007 through March 2011, more than 400 patients underwent various types of robotic cardiac surgery in our department. Of these, 22 consecutive patients underwent robotically assisted mitral valve replacement. Of the 22 patients with isolated rheumatic mitral valve stenosis (9 men and 13 women), the mean age was 44.7 ± 19.8 years (range, 32-65). Preoperatively, all patients underwent a complete workup, including coronary angiography and transthoracic echocardiography. Of the 22 patients, 15 had concomitant atrial fibrillation. The surgical approach was through 4 right-side chest ports with femoral perfusion. Aortic occlusion was performed with a Chitwood crossclamp, and antegrade cardioplegia was administered directly by way of the anterior chest. Using 3 port incisions in the right side of the chest and a 2.5- to 3.0-cm working port, all the procedures were completed with the da Vinci S robot.

RESULTS

All patients underwent successful robotic surgery. Of the 22 patients, 16 received a mechanical valve and 6 a tissue valve. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic crossclamp time was 137.1 ± 21.9 minutes (range, 105-168) and 99.3 ± 17.9 minutes (range, 80-133), respectively. No operative deaths, stroke, or other complications occurred, and no incisional conversions were required. After surgery, all the patients were followed up echocardiographically.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotically assisted mitral valve replacement can be performed safely in patients with isolated mitral valve stenosis, and surgical results are excellent.

Robotic cardiac surgery: advanced minimally invasive technology hindered by barriers to adoption

Robotic cardiac surgery utilizes the most advanced surgical technology to offer patients a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery in the treatment of a broad range of cardiac pathologies. Although robotics may offer substantial benefits to physicians, patients and healthcare institutions, there are important barriers to its adoption that includes inadequate funding, competition from alternate therapies and challenges in training. There is a growing body of evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of robotic cardiac surgery. Technological innovations are improving patient safety and expanding the indications for robotic cardiac surgery beyond the treatment of mitral valve and coronary artery disease. Robotic cardiac surgery is rapidly becoming a feasible, safe and effective option for the definitive treatment of cardiac disease in the context of 21st century challenges to healthcare provision such as diabetes, obesity and an aging population.

Total endoscopic robotic atrial septal defect repair in a patient with dextrocardia and situs inversus totalis

Situs inversus with mirror-image of the heart is a rare condition. The present report describes a case of a patient with dextrocardia with situs inversus who had atrial septal defect with multiple holes in the fossa ovalis. The patient underwent total endoscopic atrial septal defect repair using the da Vinci surgical system. This procedure was achieved safely with good clinical and excellent cosmetic results.