Minimally Invasive Heart

Minimally Invasive Heart Providing the most innovative minimally invasive approaches to treat heart disease

What an incredible experience to join the Edwards Global Cardiac Surgery Residents & Fellows Program as faculty this yea...
09/22/2025

What an incredible experience to join the Edwards Global Cardiac Surgery Residents & Fellows Program as faculty this year!

It was inspiring to connect with brilliant surgeons from around the world and explore cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of cardiac surgery.

A special highlight was leading our Minimally Invasive Mitral Surgery session, using the new simulator from Archetype Biomedical — a game-changer for teaching and advancing mitral surgery techniques.

Grateful to be part of this journey and to see the next generation of cardiac surgeons embrace innovation with passion and skill!

What an amazing day at the 32nd Annual Nick Barbieri Charity Bocce Tournament! 🌞🎯So grateful to LiUNA Local 506 and GCAT...
08/15/2025

What an amazing day at the 32nd Annual Nick Barbieri Charity Bocce Tournament! 🌞🎯

So grateful to LiUNA Local 506 and GCAT for their incredible generosity — $50,000 to our Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Program at St. Michael’s Hospital Unity Health Toronto, part of an incredible $200,000 total donated to causes that make a real difference. ❤️

Huge thanks to Carmine Principato and family, John Mandarino, Joseph & Victoria Mancinelli, and the entire LiUNA team for the warm hospitality. And to my teammates Bob Sacco, Tony Cipriani & Anthony Pullano — what a blast sharing the court with you!

🚀 Exciting Milestone for Our Robotic Cardiac Program at St. Michael’s Hospital !!Together with my partner Dr. Daniel Bur...
08/02/2025

🚀 Exciting Milestone for Our Robotic Cardiac Program at St. Michael’s Hospital !!

Together with my partner Dr. Daniel Burns , we are proud to share a major development in our cutting-edge robotic cardiac surgery program. While robotic mitral valve procedures have been a cornerstone of our program, we are now thrilled to expand its scope to include atrial septal defect (ASD) closures.

This advancement is the result of a remarkable collaboration with our Adult Congenital Interventional Cardiology team, under the leadership of Dr. Sami Alnasser , and reflects our shared commitment to advancing minimally invasive solutions for complex structural heart conditions.

Notably, this marks the first robotic ASD closures performed in Toronto—a true milestone that highlights both our clinical innovation and multidisciplinary teamwork.

A heartfelt thank you to our anesthesia colleagues, OR and ICU teams throughout the perioperative care pathway who made this achievement possible. Your expertise and dedication continue to push the boundaries of what we can offer our patients.

(Image with patient’s permission)



Unity Health Toronto
HLVSMH
St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
University of Toronto

Thrilled to share that we have successfully performed the first left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion procedure in Canad...
07/18/2025

Thrilled to share that we have successfully performed the first left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion procedure in Canada using the Penditure device at St. Michael’s Hospital !

This marks another major step forward in expanding the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation — and reinforces our team’s leadership in innovative and minimally invasive strategies.

Grateful for the unwavering support of our incredible hospital, colleagues, and multidisciplinary team who make this kind of progress possible. Onward!

(Image with patient’s permission)



Unity Health Toronto
HLVSMH
St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
Medtronic

It was a true pleasure to visit Prof Matteo Cameli and UniversitĂ  di Siena to deliver an international lecture on imagi...
07/08/2025

It was a true pleasure to visit Prof Matteo Cameli and Università di Siena to deliver an international lecture on imaging-guided mitral valve repair. I’m deeply grateful to the colleagues in the Division of Cardiology and the wonderful students for their warm welcome and the engaging discussions we shared.

Opportunities like this highlight how collaboration and knowledge exchange across institutions and countries can drive innovation and ultimately improve patient care. I look forward to strengthening these connections and exploring future research and educational initiatives together.

HLVSMH
Unity Health Toronto
St. Michael’s Hospital
BRAINandHEART
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
University of Toronto

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to CIBPA Toronto for their incredible support and generosity through the Mend...
05/16/2025

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to CIBPA Toronto for their incredible support and generosity through the Mending Broken Hearts Event.

Your commitment to bridging community and medicine is truly inspiring. The donation provided as a result of this event will directly support our ongoing efforts at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto to advance minimally invasive cardiac surgery and improve outcomes for patients living with complex heart conditions.

This meaningful contribution is more than financial—it’s a powerful vote of confidence in our mission to innovate, collaborate, and elevate cardiac care.

To the CIBPA Toronto leadership, members, and all who made this evening possible: thank you for believing in our work and helping to make a lasting difference.

Looking forward to continuing growing awareness and driving innovation in minimally invasive cardiac surgery !!!

Also - huge congrats to Andrea Rigamonti, MD, FNCS for such a well deserved recognition and to my friend and partner Bobby Yanagawa for his honorary Italian status ..!!

HLVSMH
St. Michael’s Hospital
St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation
Unity Health Toronto
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
University of Toronto

Really grateful to our entire team—with representation from every level of the hospital—for joining in to celebrate our ...
05/09/2025

Really grateful to our entire team—with representation from every level of the hospital—for joining in to celebrate our MICS program and its latest milestone: the successful launch of our robotic platform! Daniel Burns Bobby Yanagawa Desa Hobbs Tasha Osborne St. Michael’s Hospital HLVSMH BRAINandHEART Unity Health Toronto St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto University of Toronto

I am extremely thrilled to share an exciting achievement—our first minimally invasive robotic mitral valve repair in the...
04/08/2025

I am extremely thrilled to share an exciting achievement—our first minimally invasive robotic mitral valve repair in the Greater Toronto Area, performed together with my partner and friend Dr. Daniel Burns !

This milestone marks a significant step forward in advancing minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery, offering patients cutting-edge treatment options with faster recovery and excellent outcomes.

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of our incredible Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS) program and the unwavering support from St. Michael’s Hospital. I am grateful to work alongside such a talented team, committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation in cardiac surgery.

A special and heartfelt thank you to Dr. Johannes Bonatti MD FETCS and Dr. Denis Bouchard for their incredible support, mentorship, and guidance during the establishment of this novel program.

Looking forward to continuing this journey and expanding the possibilities for patients !!


yanagawa



Grounded by fate, lifted by hope: A pilot’s fight for his heart and future.Pilot John Kezemidis faced a heart diagnosis ...
04/03/2025

Grounded by fate, lifted by hope: A pilot’s fight for his heart and future.

Pilot John Kezemidis faced a heart diagnosis that threatened his flying career. With dertermination and expert care from Dr. Gianluigi Bisleri, he underwent a minimally invasive mitral valve repair. Now, after months of recovery, he’s cleared to fly again!

https://unityhealth.to/2025/04/a-pilots-fight-for-his-heart-and-future/



HLVSMH
Unity Health Toronto
St. Michael's Hospital
St. Michael's Foundation
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
University of Toronto

I am truly honored to be the inaugural recipient of the Joseph Vitale & TLN Media Chair in Minimally Invasive Cardiac Su...
04/02/2025

I am truly honored to be the inaugural recipient of the Joseph Vitale & TLN Media Chair in Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery.

This milestone is more than recognition—it’s the realization of a vision: to push the boundaries of cardiac surgery, making procedures less invasive, recovery faster, and outcomes better.

Deep gratitude to Joseph Vitale & Aldo Di Felice for their generosity, friendship and belief in this mission, to St. Michael’s Hospital, the University of Toronto, and my incredible colleagues for their daily and unwavering support, and finally to my family for being my foundation.

I am so grateful to the Italian community and to CIBPA Toronto for the relentless advocacy towards our efforts.

This is not just about past achievements but about what’s ahead.
Together, we are not just refining techniques - we are redefining possibilities.



TLN Media Group
Italpasta
HLVSMH
St. Michael’s Hospital
Unity Health Toronto
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
CIBPA Toronto

A heartfelt thank you to the CIBPA Toronto Canadian Italian Business & Professional Association (CIBPA), the St. Michae...
02/18/2025

A heartfelt thank you to the CIBPA Toronto Canadian Italian Business & Professional Association (CIBPA), the St. Michael’s Foundation and the entire community for making the 3rd edition of the Mending Broken Hearts Gala an unforgettable success! Your unwavering support to our Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Program is driving game-changing advancements, allowing us to push the boundaries of innovation and impact lives not only in Canada but globally.

I am also deeply grateful to my colleagues and the entire team at St. Michael’s Hospital for their dedication and daily commitment to delivering world-class cardiac care. Your passion and expertise are making a profound difference in our patients’ lives.

The overwhelming turnout and generosity of our community remind us that we are not just treating heart disease—we are transforming the future of cardiac care together. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. 💙

Robert Sacco, CMILT Sabrina Marrelli PFP FMA CIM FCSI CFDS Tony Cocuzzo, FCPA, FCA Aldo Di Felice TLN Media Group

HLVSMH
Unity Health Toronto
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
University of Toronto

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Toronto, ON

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Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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