Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery


What is LIMA LAD?

What is LIMA to LAD? LIMA LAD is a life-saving coronary artery bypass procedure that involves the left internal mammary artery and the left anterior descending artery. It opens the heart’s blood flow, saving the life of the patient. Left Internal Mammary Artery The left internal mammary artery, or LIMA, is located on the left side of the heart. Often, fatty deposits and other blockages settle in the vessels around the heart due to heart disease. This blockage puts a strain on the heart and prevents it from pumping efficiently. Minimally invasive bloodless  heart surgery that creates a new route for the blood flow can be a lifesaving procedure. A thin catheter with a balloon tip is inserted into the area of blockage. The balloon is inflated to gently stretch the vessel and release the blockage. Left Anterior Descending The left anterior descending artery, also known as the LAD, is the most important blood vessel in the heart, traveling between the left and right ventricles at the front of the heart. It carries life-giving blood around the heart. Without the ability to freely flow through this critical pathway, blood cannot make its way around the body to carry oxygen and nutrients. LIMA LAD Dr. Ciuffo offers a minimally invasive version o the  LIMA to LAD procedure that results in a small scar easily hidden under the fold of the breast. If you or a loved one is interested in minimally invasive heart surgery and may be a candidate for LIMA to LAD surgery, contact our office for your...

Advantages and Disadvantages of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Understanding the Advantages and Disadvantages of Minimally Invasive Surgery   The Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery Program of Sioux City, Iowa is a facility that always aspires to improve and refine its techniques for delivering the least painful procedures possible for treating multiple medical needs. Due to our continual evolution in the field, our professional team includes prominent leaders in the industry who work in conjunction with one another for their patients. This ensures that they maximize the potential of their minimally invasive surgery (MIS) efforts. As in most medical niches, there are both advantages and disadvantages of minimally invasive surgery, and it’s important to know about them prior to any procedure. Advantages of Minimally Invasive Surgery Minimally invasive surgery refers to techniques that involve small operation sites. As opposed to large incisions, you will only experience small cuts with MIS. This means that there is minimal trauma to surrounding tissues, muscles, and nerves, as well as your organs. Smaller incisions also mean less bleeding during a procedure and less post-operative scarring. Another benefit of MIS is a reduced need for narcotics due to little or no pain during or after the procedure. Moreover, your hospital stay will be cut by more than half. Finally, minimally invasive surgery is less taxing on your immune system. Overview of MIS Advantages Over Invasive Procedures: Smaller incisions Less trauma to tissues, nerves, organs, and muscles Minimal bleeding Reduced scarring Less need for narcotics Shorter hospital stays Less stress on the immune system Disadvantages of Minimally Invasive Surgery Although the pros of minimally invasive surgery outweigh the cons, it’s still important to...

FAQs about Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Surgery

What You Need to Know About Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Surgery   The Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery (MIBHS) Medical Center of Canton, OH maintains their leadership position in cardiovascular medicine by providing top patient care with the latest in surgical options, including Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Surgery.   Why is Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Only Offered at Select Medical Facilities?   The skills required for minimally invasive heart surgery must come from a team of highly trained specialists who are proficient in the responsibilities of a cardiac expert.   Will Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Shorten My Recovery Time?   Yes. In fact, it will also be less painful. One of the many advantages of minimally invasive heart surgery is that you will have a much smaller incision which means less time for your wound to heal. When your body needs less time to heal, that considerably reduces your recovery time.   What Are the Disadvantages of Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery?   The biggest drawback to having minimally invasive heart surgery would have to be that not every patient will be a good candidate. Fortunately, surgeons are always discovering new ways to apply the necessary techniques so that more patients can take advantage of the benefits of the procedure.   When Can I Resume My Normal Day-to-Day Activities?   You would have to consult with one of our surgeons for a precise answer because your medical history and your particular surgical procedure will be significant factors. However, most patients who have undergone minimally invasive heart surgery are normally able to resume normal activity within a few weeks. Strenuous activities...

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques

Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques Differ than Open Surgery By using minimally invasive surgical techniques, surgeons typically use a variety of techniques to operate with less injury to the body than with full-scale open surgery. In general,  minimally invasive surgery is safer than open surgery and allows you to recover faster and heal with less pain and scarring. Minimally invasive surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis or requires only a short hospital stay. Some of the benefits are, but not limited to: Less scarring and bleeding surrounding the incision area A smaller incision made in a less conspicuous spot Less damage caused to the nerves, muscles, and tissue surrounding incision point Lessens the amount of work your immune system must do Minimizes the use and necessity of medications, antibiotics, and narcotics All around less trauma Reduced recovery time These are just a few of the benefits gained through the use of minimally invasive surgery. Minimally Invasive Surgery Utilizes Small Incisions Unlike traditional surgery, doctors who practice minimally invasive surgical techniques don’t make large incisions whatsoever. Instead, extremely small incisions are made – only large enough for the insertion of miniscule cameras equipped with microscopes and tiny fiber-optic flashlights. How Does it Work They take a miniature camera (usually a laparoscope or endoscope) and place it through one of the trocars so a member of the surgical team can view the procedure as a magnified image on video monitors in the operating room.  The next steps use specialized instruments that are placed through the other trocars to perform the procedures. In some cases, such as minimally invasive colon surgery, a...

What is Mitral Valve Repair – Heart Surgery Info

Understanding Mitral Valve Repair? If you have never had any heart concerns, palpitations, aches or pains – consider yourself lucky. Unfortunately, many people across the globe cannot say the same. Heart attacks are one of the leading ‘killers’ in the world and oftentimes, people could avoid such issues if they payed closer attention to their diet and exercised more. It cannot be stressed enough that incorporating a little bit of movement throughout your day, drinking more water and avoiding unhealthy foods can make such a significant difference in your quality of life. What is Mitral Valve Repair? So, you have been told that you have a heart issue and now it is time to have a procedure done. Your heart surgeon mentions the term mitral valve repair, but are not one hundred percent sure what it is exactly and/or what the procedure entails. Mitral valve repair is actually a minimally invasive procedure (which should ease some anxiety) and it is to help repair or completely replace your Mitral valve. Your heart is broken up into a few different chambers, your blood naturally will flow from your lungs into your left atrium. From there, the blood will be pumped and flow into your left ventricle…the mitral valve is located directly between these two chambers of your heart. It is solely responsible for making sure that blood gets into your heart. Reasons Why Mitral Valve Surgery May Be Required If you have visited your physician and they are stating that you will need to have mitral valve surgery – reasons for this might be as follows: The mitral valve has become...

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery For Elderly Patients

Older patients are the most common type of cardiac patients we see. As we age, the heart has more trouble efficiently pumping blood to the rest of the body. Problems such as high blood pressure, infections, and more will make a weakened heart work even harder. When combined with age and outside factors, some elderly patients are simply labeled as “inoperable” if they have more serious conditions like aortic valve stenosis or coronary artery disease. Most patients are not inoperable, the doctors simply don’t know about the options available to treat them. Dr. Ciuffo is an expert in these options. With extensive experience in successfully treating high risk, inoperable, and elderly or frail patients, Dr. Ciuffo knows that many people can benefit from his techniques. Using minimally invasive heart surgery and bloodless techniques, Dr. Ciuffo can successfully treat patients who are otherwise too old, too sick, or whatever else. It is extremely important for you to request a second opinion if you’ve been given a diagnosis like this for your heart condition. Elderly Patients Benefit From Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery According to a recent study published in the September 2015 issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, elderly patients with aortic valve stenosis can benefit from minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. For all elderly cardiac patients, there are many benefits of minimally invasive heart surgery include: Low-Impact – No breaking of bones and very small incision site Quick Healing – Only 2-3 days in the hospital Inoperable Options – Personalized plans to avoid outside issues Minimized Risk Of Infection – With fewer time in the hospital, a small incision,...