Less Invasive Partial Sternotomy

Aortic valve replacement is a common procedure that involves opening the chest at the sternum (breastbone) while the surgeon exposes and opens the rib cage and stops the heart using a heart-lung machine to oxygenate the blood in order to replace the valve. This procedure can be taxing on the body, putting a patient at greater risk for a more serious infections, since the entire breast plate is open.

Less Invasive Partial Sternotomy

At International Robotic Surgery Center for the Heart and Chest, Dr. Miguel Gomez performs a less invasive procedure called partial sternotomy. Rather than exposing the ribcage, a heart-lung machine is connected via catheters through the groin or underarm requiring a much smaller incision and only partial opening of the sternum.The benefits of partial sternotomy versus full sternotomy include:

• less pain
• less risk
• faster recovery

If you or someone you love requires aortic valve replacement, contact us to learn more about mini-aortic valve replacement.