A 46-year-old woman suffering from rheumatic heart disease has received a new lease on life after undergoing a robotic-assisted minimally invasive mitral valve replacement. Treating doctors reported that she was able to walk, cycle, and perform light exercises just three days after the surgery.
The patient had been experiencing breathing problems, irregular heartbeat, palpitations, and increasing breathlessness while walking for nearly a year. The procedure was performed at DPU Super Specialty Hospital on May 3. Instead of traditional open-heart surgery, doctors used small incisions between the ribs and robotic instruments to replace the damaged valve, avoiding a large chest incision.
Dr. Ashish Baviskar, the cardiac surgeon who led the procedure, explained that traditional surgery typically involves cutting through the breastbone, causing more pain, longer recovery time, and visible scarring. In this case, smaller cuts and minimal blood loss facilitated faster recovery.
Dr. Swapnil S. Patil, consultant cardio-thoracic anaesthetist, highlighted the benefits of robotic cardiac surgery, including less pain, shorter ICU stay, faster recovery, and quicker return to daily life. Smaller cuts also reduce infection risk. Within three days, the patient could walk, cycle, and perform light exercises.
Bhagyashree P. Patil, pro-chancellor of Dr. DY Patil Vidyapeeth, noted that the patient, a farmer from Pune district, benefits from quicker recovery as prolonged bed rest would mean loss of income. The advanced technique reduces physical strain and improves comfort and recovery for all age groups.
The patient expressed initial worries about a large scar and inability to work again, but the surgery treated her heart condition and improved her quality of life. During her latest follow-up on May 30, Dr. Baviskar confirmed that her breathlessness and palpitations had completely disappeared, and she could comfortably perform exercises at the hospital's physiotherapy gym.
Doctors Venuraj Warke and Ujwal Zambre were also part of the surgical team.
