Memorial Hermann affiliated surgeons have performed the health system’s first minimally invasive robotic-assisted heart surgery to remove a mass on a patient’s heart. Dr. Danny Ramzy, Professor and Chief and Director of Robotics for Cardiac Surgery at UTHealth Houston Heart & Vascular and Chief of Cardiac Surgery and Medical and Surgical Director of the Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, led a team that removed a mass that was on the patient’s heart by making just four small incisions in the patient’s chest, instead of opening the chest. The robotic arms and a small camera were used to conduct the procedure.
“From a robotic console, we can control every single one of the robot’s movements. The robot’s arms allow for greater dexterity and visualization, which results in greater precision,” said Dr. Ramzy. “Additionally, the recovery is much faster because it is minimally invasive. Most patients can return to normal activities within a week.”
Patients typically spend three days in the hospital and are fully recovered within two weeks after a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgery. However, patients can spend twice as long in the hospital and can take up to six weeks to recover from an open procedure.
“Each surgery is customized for the patient and tailored to the patient’s particular medical needs,” said Dr. Ramzy, who has performed more than 500 robotic heart surgeries throughout his career. “UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann are proving once again that we are a leader in Heart and Vascular care, not just in Texas, but across the country.”