Welcome to the Center for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery San Antonio web page. San Antonio’s minimally invasive cardiac surgery program has been active since July 2003. Our program offers Minimally invasive and robotic assisted minimally invasive surgical procedures.

What is Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery?

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery is an approach that uses smaller incisions to perform cardiac surgery that previously required a larger incision. Traditional cardiac surgery uses a sternotomy for the procedure. With the aid of new technologies cardiac surgery and other procedures can be performed through much smaller incisions. Minimally invasive cardiac procedures result in faster recovery, fewer complications, and less pain after surgery. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery is believed to have the same beneficial results as conventional surgery.

What procedures are performed minimally invasive?

OPCAB

Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting is considered less invasive by avoiding the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, resulting in less surgical trauma.

Endovascular Removal of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a blood disorder resulting from the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) inside a deep vein of the leg, commonly located in the calf or thigh. DVT occurs when the blood clot either partially or completely blocks the flow of blood in the vein. Patient symptoms include pain, swelling, and discoloration.

Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting

Harvesting radial artery or saphenous vein with the use of a video camera allows the surgeon to harvest the vessel though a 2cm incision.

Robotic Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass

Coronary Bypass surgery can be performed in some patients with the help of the DaVinci robotic system. Surgery can be performed through very small incisions in the chest.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery

Mitral valve surgery can be performed through small incisions with the assistance of the DaVinci robotic system.

Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery

Some thoracic (chest) surgeries can be performed with the use of a video camera and special instrumentation avoiding much larger traditional incisions.

VNUS closure of varicose veins

The VNUS Closure procedure is a minimally invasive treatment alternative with less pain and less bruising when compared to traditional vein stripping surgery and laser treatment. Using the Closure system, physicians close the diseased veins by inserting the Closure catheter into a vein and heating the vein wall using temperature-controlled RF energy. Heating the vein wall causes collagen in the wall to shrink and the vein to close. After the vein is sealed shut, blood then naturally reroutes to healthy veins.

Robotic assisted thoracic surgery

Some thoracic procedures can be performed with the aid of the DaVinci surgical system.

Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)

TMR is the creation of channels through the heart muscle to aid in the relief of chest pain in patients that have very small arteries not amenable to catheter procedures or bypass surgery.