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Minimally Invasive Surgery

In the last decade, there have been rapid developments in cardiac surgery. Due to on these developments, the results of surgeries are getting better and better, and it is possible to reach a wider mass of patients.

A patient undergoing open heart surgery stays in the hospital for an average of 8-10 days and then spends about a month in recovery, resulting in a significant loss of manpower. With new developments, ideas have emerged that this procedure can be performed without losing blood, through smaller holes and without stopping the heart.

Initially, bypass operations on the working heart began to be successfully performed without stopping the heart. Later, it was found that this operation could be performed through a much smaller incision, and this was called “pericardial window surgery.” In the following years, cardiac valve surgeries were also performed using this method, i.e., through a small hole.

The most obvious advantages of this method are that the patient feels less pain and can get up faster. A patient who stays in the hospital for ten days on average in the case of normal open-heart surgery, can be discharged within 4-5 days with this method and return to work in a short time.

Valve Surgeries

In surgical procedures on cardiac valves, a distinction is made between valve repair and valve replacement. The chance of repairing the valve is higher in patients whose valvular cardiac disease has not progressed and who consulted the physician early. Otherwise, valve replacement with a new valve is the most favorable option. Your doctor will provide you with detailed information and guidance in this regard.

There are two types of valves used when they need to be replaced: the biological valve and the mechanical valve. The biggest advantage of the biological valves is that they do not require blood thinners. However, their average lifespan is limited to 7-10 years. Mechanical valves, on the other hand, have a very long-life span. Yet, because they are made of metal, patients must take blood thinners for the rest of their lives to prevent clots from forming on the valves.

Many factors should be considered when choosing the most appropriate valve for you: Your age, the type of valve disease, whether you can take blood thinners for life, and whether you want to have a child.

Arrhythmia Surgery / Atrial Fibrillation

Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) can be divided into two groups. The first group of patients are those who have another disease that causes AF and requires surgical treatment. In this group of patients, “ablation” surgery to treat AF can be performed along with heart surgery for their current problem (coronary bypass surgery, valve disease surgery). The success rate of this type of surgery to turn it to sinus rhythm is about 85% for 2 years.

The second group of patients are those who have only AF without another heart disease. In this group of patients, “ablation” surgery with smaller surgical incisions (using minimally invasive methods) can be performed to bring it into sinus rhythm and treat AF. In our clinic, this type of ablation surgery can be performed in these patients with surgical incisions of about 3 centimeters under the right and left breast, which is performed in only a few centers in the world.

Thus, atrial fibrillation is a cardiac arrhythmia with life-threatening complications that occurs in association with various cardiac diseases or sometimes alone and affects the quality of life. Although medications and angiographic treatments are available, success rates are not very high. Atrial fibrillation is a condition that can be treated surgically, either in conjunction with various cardiac disorders or alone. This type of cardiac surgery has been successfully performed at our hospital for the past five years.