Georgia Heart Institute is now offering endoscopic robotic heart surgery. Through our partnership with the nationally renowned surgeons of Northeast Georgia Physicians Group, we are devoted to providing the best possible outcomes for patients with heart disease through the least-invasive option. This means less pain and lessened recovery times, enabling our patients to get back to their lives faster feeling better than ever.
Conditions We Treat
Below is a list of the most common conditions we can treat through robotic heart surgery.
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Atrial Fibrillation (Afib)
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Heart Tumors, including atrial myxoma or Carney’s Syndrome
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Robotic Surgery Options
Georgia Heart Institute is one of the only programs in the United States to offer truly endoscopic robotic mitral valve repair. We offer outstanding expertise and high success rates for robotic mitral valve surgery.
Robotic surgery to repair or replace a damaged aortic valve is a fairly new procedure in the cardiothoracic surgery field. Georgia Heart Institute is proud to offer the latest techniques, giving patients in our area the option of robotic aortic valve repair and replacement.
Our specialized robotic surgery team can perform heart bypass from start to finish through a few small incisions (7 – 15mm), giving patients who need even complex heart bypass surgery more options to feel better and live longer.
For certain patients, open heart bypass surgery can be too risky because it requires the heart to be stopped temporarily and put on bypass. In those cases, a patient may consult with our program to see if they would be a good candidate for robotic off-pump bypass surgery.
Heart tumors, even benign ones, can increase the risk of stroke or obstruction of blood flow as they grow. We offer robotic surgery options to remove these tumors and prevent complications.
The Maze procedure is often considered the “gold standard” in AFib treatment, but traditionally it’s been performed through open heart surgery, making it a poor option for some high-risk patients and a less-preferrable option for others who are worried about pain and long recovery times.
A pacemaker or ICD may be the best way to manage arrhythmia and AFib, but open heart surgery has typically been required to place these implants. We offer robotic surgery options to help regulate the heart’s rhythm.
Georgia Heart Institute offers unique expertise for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy through specialized care with our Heart Failure Center and robotic surgery options through Northeast Georgia Physicians Group with similar or better outcomes than open heart surgery.
FAQs
Robotic heart surgery is a great option for many patients, but for some with especially complex conditions or who have unique heart anatomies, they may be better suited for open heart surgery. Our goal is to provide each of our patients with the most successful outcome, while limiting pain and recovery times. Patients who come to Georgia Heart Institute can rest assured that they have access to leading techniques in heart surgery and excellent patient care, no matter what route is recommended for them.
Because robotic heart surgery is only offered in a few programs throughout the southeast, your healthcare provider may not be aware yet of the options available through Northeast Georgia Physicians Group at Georgia Heart Institute. If you’re interested in learning whether robotic heart surgery could be the best option for you, contact our program at 770-219-7099 to discuss a referral.
Open heart surgery requires a sternotomy, which is done by making a large incision in the chest, then splitting and spreading the breastplate to access the heart. This leads to more pain and lengthened recovery times for patients.
Most of our robotic heart surgeries are done through an endovascular approach, which requires just a few small incisions so that the robot and a camera can be inserted into the chest to perform surgery on the heart.
Patients can expect reduced hospital stays after surgery, less pain, a quicker return to normal life and more rapid improvement of any negative symptoms they were experiencing before the surgery.
While some patients may be better candidates for open heart surgery, many of the same surgeries can be performed robotically with equivalent or sometimes better success rates. There are risks to any surgery, and heart surgery is a serious procedure, but heart surgery can be a critical and life-saving option for many patients. Robotic heart surgery can make going through that process far easier and less painful for patients, while offering the same outcomes.
The cardiothoracic surgeons of Northeast Georgia Physicians Group, in partnership with Georgia Heart Institute, have more than a decade of experience in robotic heart and thoracic surgery. Among our surgeons are national leaders in robotic mitral valve repair and those with specialized fellowship-training in minimally invasive and off-pump surgery. Our heart surgeons have significant experience performing even the most complex robotic heart surgeries.
Connect with our program
Patients
Referrals are required for surgical services, but our knowledgeable team is always happy to answer your questions and provide next steps. Call 770-219-7099 to discuss your surgery with our team.
Referring Clinicians
If you are a clinician who needs to refer a patient for cardiothoracic surgery, please contact our program directly at 770-219-7099. Our program coordinator can answer any questions you have and help schedule your patient to see one of our board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons.
