07/28/2025
One of the good things about robotics!
In a medical world-first, surgeons at Cleveland Clinic have successfully replaced a heart valve through a small neck incision, completely avoiding the need to open the chest.
Using robotic tools, Dr. Marijan Koprivanac led the team in performing transcervical aortic valve replacements on four patients, all of whom recovered quickly and with minimal pain. One patient even resumed running within a week.
The technique, adapted from robotic thymectomy, uses four small incisions and offers faster recovery, lower risk, and greater precision.
The team now aims to reduce surgery time and expand the procedure to other centers.