Minimally Invasive Surgery for Ventricular Septal Defect

A congenital heart disease, Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) is a hole in the wall (septum) between the two lower pumping chambers of the heart (the left ventricle and the right ventricle). Because pressure on the left side of the heart is higher than the right, in a heart with VSD, blood crosses the hole and causes "flooding" of the lung vessels.

Ventricular Septal Defect

Minimally invasive surgery can be used to close ventricular septal defects, allowing the procedure to be performed through small incisions and without stopping the heart, separating the breastbone (sternum) and ribcage, or requiring a heart-lung machine to be used.

Using specialized endovascular catheters and trans-esophageal echocardiography, the surgeon accesses the heart through small incisions, or "ports". Because this technique is less traumatic on the patient, recovery time is faster and there are fewer post-operative complications. In some cases, a robot is used to assist the surgeon in performing the minimally invasive procedure.