Does robotic technology make minimally invasive cardiac surgery too expensive? A hospital cost analysis of robotic and conventional techniques.

Background: While potential benefits of robotic technology include decreased morbidity and improved recovery, some have suggested a prohibitively high cost. This study was undertaken to compare actual hospital costs of robotically assisted cardiac procedures with conventional techniques.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of clinical and financial data of 20 patients who underwent atrial septal defect (ASD) closure and 20 patients who underwent mitral valve repair (MVr) using either robotic techniques or a conventional approach with a sternotomy.

Robotic techniques improve quality of life in patients undergoing atrial septal defect repair.

Background: Minimally invasive cardiac surgery has emerged as an alternative to conventional, open surgery. Although most studies of robotically assisted cardiac surgery have reported morbidity and mortality, few have addressed outcome measures, such as pain and quality of life, which was the aim of this study.

Methods: Eleven patients with atrial septal defects (ASD), and five patients with patent foramen ovale, underwent repair using the Da Vinci system (Intuitive Surgical, Mountain View, CA).