Robotic Heart Surgery

Robotic heart surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery that uses robotic equipment and tiny instruments to perform procedures. At Henry Ford Health, our heart team has experience in robotic heart surgery for certain types of heart disease.

Because it involves very small incisions in the chest, robotic heart surgery is much less invasive than open-heart surgery. We offer robotic heart surgery at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital.

What is robotic heart surgery?

In robotic heart surgery, our cardiac surgeons use sophisticated equipment to operate surgical instruments in a minimally invasive approach. Robotic surgical equipment includes a console that translates your surgeon’s hand movements to the robotic arms. The arms hold instruments to perform the procedure and a camera so the surgeon can see the treatment area.

We can perform several heart procedures using the robotic system and just a few small incisions. This advanced form of heart surgery helps our heart surgeons operate with unmatched precision and control. Henry Ford Macomb Hospital is one of a few heart centers in the upper Midwest that performs heart surgeries using robotic equipment.

Robotic assistance improves surgical accuracy by providing surgeons:

• Greater visualization, with highly magnified, 3D high-definition views
• Enhanced dexterity using tiny, wristed instruments that move like a human hand but with a greater range of motion
• More precision in delicate procedures to access tight spaces without affecting nearby healthy tissue

Conditions treated with robotic heart surgery

Not everyone is a candidate for robotic heart surgery. Your heart surgeon will discuss all treatment options with you to decide which approach is right for you.

The conditions we treat with robotic heart surgery include:

• Arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm): We can treat arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, with a robotic procedure.
• Coronary artery disease: Our heart surgeons can perform minimally invasive coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery with or without robotic surgical equipment. The procedure bypasses a blocked artery to improve blood flow to the heart.

Schedule a heart surgery consultation

Request an in-person or virtual appointment with a heart team member for evaluation. Our cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons work together to plan your treatment, including heart surgery options.