Fort Myers, Florida, Aug. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lee Health is thrilled to announce that it has completed the first fully endoscopic heart valve surgery through the smallest incision possible, providing enhanced heart care to the Southwest Florida community and beyond.
The implementation of endoscopic valve repairs puts Lee Health at the forefront of cardiac care in the United States, providing the next iteration of minimally invasive surgery and ensuring patients have access to the most comprehensive care available. The non-rib spreading technique provides a tangible and realizable benefit for patients, including less pain, a faster recovery and shorter hospital stays. In this procedure, the surgeons look at the heart through the smallest incision possible utilizing a 3-D endoscope, a device with a light attached to it that’s used to look inside a body cavity or organ. This precise level of visualization allows the surgeons to use their hands and tactile feedback for even more attention to detail.
Lee Health is among the first health systems in the United States to use the RAM® Device, an automated dual curved needle suturing device. The suturing tool is used to place stitches around the annulus of the aortic valve, mitral valve, or tricuspid valve, with the smallest incision possible.
Endoscopic valve repair is a minimally invasive surgery that uses a keyhole approach and an endoscope to repair or replace heart valves. It can be used as an alternative to traditional open-heart surgery, which requires a sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass, and other supporting procedures.
Lee Health has offered minimally invasive valve and robotic valve surgeries for decades. This new endoscopic heart valve surgery enables physicians to have the benefits of a scope looking at the valve while still being able to surgically do a repair or replacement. It also offers the best possible benefits to the patient.
“This innovation, supported by the entire surgical team, has led to improved visualization in the surgical field and enhanced patient benefits including smaller incision size (comparable to a pacemaker incision), reduced pain and faster recovery,” said Lee Health Heart Institute chief physician executive Dr. Malissa Wood. “A full spectrum of surgical therapies can now be offered with this new approach, including valve repair and replacement. We have a long history of being one of the first health systems to offer innovative approaches and therapies, including minimally invasive and robotic valve surgeries. We are always striving to advance our technology to elevate patient care and provide the most cutting-edge treatments available. Being one of the first to perform endoscopic valve surgery helps put Lee Health at the forefront of cardiac care in the region and the country.”
Endoscopic valve repairs began in Europe. Lee Health cardiothoracic surgeons, physician assistants and nurses traveled to Germany to learn from the world leaders in endoscopic work before implementing it at the Shipley Cardiothoracic Center located inside HealthPark Medical Center.
Additionally, in July, Lee Health added the Coroventis CoroFlow Cardiovascular System, which detects the prevalence and pathophysiology of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction (CMD) in patients sooner. Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction is a type of heart disease that occurs when the small blood vessels in the heart, called the coronary microvasculature, don’t dilate and constrict properly, which could possibly lead to stroke, heart failure or cardiovascular death.
An early pioneer of adopting new treatment for cardiac care, Lee Health has also completed more than 2,000 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) surgeries, a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery.
Lee Health was the first healthcare system in the region to perform a TAVR procedure. The Shipley Cardiothoracic Center is the second-largest cardiac surgery program in Florida, performing over 1,500 surgical cases each year.
The Shipley Cardiothoracic Center is located within HealthPark Medical Center, which has been recognized as a PINC 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital. HealthPark Medical Center is at 9981 S. HealthPark Dr., Fort Myers.
To learn more about the Lee Health Heart Institute and Shipley Cardiothoracic Center, please visit www.leehealth.org.
- Training for fully endoscopic surgery