Owensboro Health Regional Hospital is now offering a minimally invasive robotic heart bypass procedure designed to help certain patients recover more quickly than with traditional open-heart surgery.
The procedure, known as Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB), is performed by cardiothoracic surgeons Dr. Anthony Mozer and Dr. Jeff Silver using the hospital’s da Vinci robotic surgical system. The surgeons completed the hospital’s first MIDCAB procedure on March 9.
Unlike traditional coronary artery bypass surgery, which requires dividing the breastbone, MIDCAB is performed through a small incision between the ribs. According to Owensboro Health, the approach allows surgeons to bypass blocked coronary arteries while avoiding many of the physical challenges associated with conventional open-heart surgery.
For patients who qualify, the procedure can provide a shorter hospital stay, less post-operative pain, a lower risk of infection, smaller scars, and a faster recovery, officials say.
“It continues to be my highest priority to work closely with our cardiology colleagues in developing a Heart Team Approach to patient care,” Mozer said. “The principles of this approach are shared expertise across specialties, shared decision-making, evidence-based management and patient-centered care.”
Mozer said the collaborative approach has been shown to reduce major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, cardiac deaths, and hospital readmissions for patients with heart disease.
Owensboro Health said patients undergoing robotic MIDCAB have experienced shorter hospital stays because the sternum remains intact, eliminating the lengthy healing period and activity restrictions associated with conventional open-heart surgery.
Hospital officials said the addition of MIDCAB is the latest expansion of Owensboro Health’s cardiovascular program, which has grown in recent years to include expanded general cardiology, structural and interventional cardiology, and cardiac surgery. The program serves patients through five regional locations and works with UK HealthCare’s Gill Heart & Vascular Institute to provide advanced cardiac care locally.
“The launch of MIDCAB reflects the momentum we continue to see throughout our cardiovascular program,” said Beth Steele, chief operating officer of Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. “We continue to value our core commitment of innovation and are thankful for the incredible talent at Owensboro Health who bring this type of care closer to home.”
Mozer said robotic MIDCAB offers another option for patients who are good candidates for bypass surgery.
“Coronary bypass surgery saves lives, and I believe that robotic MIDCAB is a way we can do it better for some patients,” he said. “To successfully care for patients using this technique exemplifies the Heart Team Approach, and I am proud to help deliver better care to the region we serve right here at this hospital.”
