Robotic Cardiac Surgery Care Means You Recover Faster

Henry J. Tannous, MD, and Jose R. Rodriquez, MD, working with the da Vinci robot system.
Henry J. Tannous, MD and Jose R. Rodriquez, MD, perform robot-assisted procedure with the da Vinci robot system.

As a rural health system, we are proud of our ability to offer the most advanced robotic cardiac surgery procedures that aren’t even available in some larger cities.

Jose R. Rodriguez, MD, director of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery and Quality at Dartmouth Health

Want to recover faster from cardiac surgery?

Led by Henry J. Tannous, MD, Section Chief of Cardiac Surgery, and Jose R. Rodriguez, MD, director of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery and Quality at Dartmouth Health, our Heart and Vascular Center is now among only a few centers in New England to offer robotic procedures for mitral valve surgery (MVR); totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB); and, in the near future, robotic aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Tannous, Rodriguez, and their team are using the hospital’s da Vinci robotic technology to perform what were once considered major cardiac surgeries through small incisions.

These robot-assisted procedures not only mean that your surgical risks are decreased, but you also have a shorter recovery time after traditional procedures that involve opening the chest.

“As a rural health system, we are proud of our ability to offer the most advanced robotic cardiac surgery procedures that aren’t even available in some larger cities,” says Rodriguez. “We are the only center in New England currently performing TECAB, and we are preparing to offer robotic AVR, which is available at fewer than 10 centers in the U.S.”

The new technology and techniques mean better outcomes

According to Rodriguez, the use of robotic technology improves visualization and precision. The technology and techniques also lead to outstanding results.

“Our team’s extensive background in minimally invasive cardiac surgery has enabled us to seamlessly integrate robotic technology into our practice,” says Rodriguez. “We are currently performing 10 minimally invasive valve procedures per month, and with the support of our skilled OR, ICU, and cardiac anesthesia colleagues, our patients are doing exceptionally well.”

Rodriguez says the faster recovery offered by minimally invasive and robotic surgical approaches provides tremendous patient benefit—allowing you to return to work and resume your normal activities sooner.

The goal, according to Rodriguez, is to make these innovative procedures available to as many patients as possible by providing efficient, patient-centered care.

“We are taking steps to reduce the need for patients to travel to multiple appointments to access robotic cardiac surgery,” says Rodriguez. “Patients can receive pre-op and follow-up care at a satellite Dartmouth Health campus, so they need to travel to Lebanon only for their procedure and hospital stay.”

If you’re in Southern New Hampshire, you can now get care locally

To further improve patients' access to care, Tannous and Rodriguez are now seeing patients at Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics in Manchester. 

In many cases, patients can have their pre-op visit in as little as a week and schedule their surgical procedure within four to six weeks, depending on the pre-operative workup required.

Rodriguez says the team looks forward to conducting research on robotic cardiac surgery outcomes and to publishing their experiences, particularly on the future use of robotic AVR.

“We want to restore our patients’ quality of life by delivering great care with a patient-first approach,” says Rodriguez. “It’s an exciting time for robotic cardiac surgery, and patients in New England have access to very sophisticated treatment options right here at Dartmouth Health.”

Related resources