Since relaunching its minimally invasive robotic cardiac surgery program six months ago, the Yale New Haven Heart and Vascular Center (HVC) has completed 50 robotic heart surgeries, highlighting its leadership in advanced cardiac care and expanding role as a national destination for less-invasive heart procedures.
Among the most-advanced procedures is totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECABG), a highly complex surgery performed through small incisions without opening the chest.
Yale New Haven Hospital is among a small number of medical centers nationwide – and the only New England hospital – offering fully endoscopic robotic coronary bypass surgery. Using high-definition visualization and robotic instruments, surgeons operate through small openings between the ribs rather than splitting the breastbone.
Fewer than one percent of cardiac surgeons worldwide perform the procedure, with an estimated 15 surgeons globally possessing the advanced training and experience required to perform it consistently. Kelsey Gray, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Yale New Haven Hospital and assistant professor of Cardiac Surgery at Yale School of Medicine (YSM), is one of them.
“Robotic-assisted endoscopic bypass surgery represents a fundamental shift in how we treat coronary artery disease,” Dr. Gray said. “For carefully selected patients, it offers the durability of traditional bypass surgery with a much less-invasive approach and a significantly faster recovery.”
Unlike traditional open-heart bypass surgery, the robotic endoscopic approach is performed as a closed-chest procedure. The heart continues to beat during surgery, so a heart-lung bypass machine is not required. This helps reduce the risk of complications and supports faster recovery.
“The ability to provide this highly advanced procedure highlights the depth of surgical expertise within an academic medical center,” said Marc Pelletier, MD, division chief Of Cardiac Surgery for the department of Surgery, YSM, and physician-in-chief of Cardiac Surgery for the YNHHS HVC. “It represents both individual excellence and our collective commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in patient-centered care.”
Other benefits for appropriately selected patients undergoing totally endoscopic robotic bypass surgery at YNHH include:
- Typical hospital stays of three to four days, compared with five to seven days for traditional bypass surgery
- Return to light daily activities within one to two weeks
- Full recovery within three to four weeks, compared with six to 12 weeks following open-chest surgery
- Less postoperative pain, reduced need for opioid medications, and minimal scarring
Because the breastbone remains intact, patients also avoid many postoperative restrictions and face a lower risk of wound complications—an important consideration for older adults and patients with diabetes or other chronic conditions.
In addition to robotic coronary revascularization, the HVC offers robotic, minimally invasive mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve surgery.
