The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano Performs 1,000th Robotic Surgery

Patients from age 15 to 90 have benefitted from robotic-assisted cardiac and thoracic surgery

Surgeons on the medical staff at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano* achieved a major milestone when they performed that hospital's 1,000th robotic surgery March 31, nearly six years after initiating the program in November 2011.

Robotic-assisted cardiac and thoracic surgery pairs a surgeon's skills with advanced robotic technology. Surgeons use minimally invasive techniques, meaning large surgical incisions are not required. The technology translates the surgeon's hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient.

According to the maker of robotic-assisted technology used by The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, the hospital's cardiothoracic robotic program leads Texas in number of cardiothoracic robotic operations.** Cardiovascular and thoracic procedures that can be performed with the robotic surgical system include coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair and all thoracic surgical procedures.

Fifteen-year-old Camden Thrailkill, a talented football and baseball player, benefitted from robotic surgery for mitral valve replacement at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano last October. Traditionally, surgeons cut through the patient's breastbone to access the mitral valve within the heart and the breastbone is wired together to heal. This approach would not have allowed Thrailkill to withstand direct hits to his chest during sporting events.

By choosing the robotic-assisted surgery, Camden only missed three weeks of school. He returned to a limited workout routine in November 2016 and successfully tried out for spring baseball at his high school.

"The surgeon has a lot more maneuverability with the robot compared to other minimally invasive techniques using long instruments that don't have wrists," said Robert L. Smith II, MD, a cardiovascular surgeon on the medical staff and cardiovascular surgical services vice chair at THHBP. "There are small instruments at the end of each wrist which provide a much greater degree of freedom when using sutures and other devices around the heart. It's almost like having the surgeon's hands in there."

Kimble Jett, MD, medical director of thoracic surgery, notes how the robotic-assisted surgery can impact length of hospital stay positively. "If we take out a lobe of the lung robotically, most patients go home the next day," Jett said. "By using the robotic-assisted surgical system, we can significantly reduce the trauma to the body that is associated with open chest cardiothoracic procedures. Having this technology allows surgeons to be less invasive, usually resulting in quicker patient recovery. It's truly a win-win."

Benefits to surgeons using the technology over traditional approaches may include greater surgical precision, increased range of motion, improved agility, enhanced visualization and improved access to the surgical site. The robotic-assisted surgery system integrates 3-D, high-definition (10 times  magnification) endoscopy and four robotic arms that wield cameras and complex surgical equipment into the surgical field, all controlled from a nearby console by a trained surgeon on the medical staff at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano.

About The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano
The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano (THHBP), Joint ownership with physicians, is a physician-owned cardiovascular specialty hospital with the highest cardiac surgery volume in Texas and the DFW Metroplex***. Part of Baylor Scott & White Health, THHBP is nationally ranked in key surgical specialties based on volume:  #4 in heart valve surgery* and #7 in heart surgery. Highly trained physicians on the medical staff and skilled clinicians, including a nationally recognized nursing staff, consistently deliver quality outcomes. In 2016, The Heart Hospital received a national ranking of 18th in the Nation in "Cardiology & Heart Surgery" by U.S. News & World Report, and was rated "High Performing" in five Adult Procedures/Conditions. Additionally, in 2014, THHBP became a member of a network affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic's Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute. As part of this affiliation, the two hospitals share best practices, coordinate care and develop programs to improve quality and patient safety.

The hospital has been recognized more than a dozen times by Press Ganey® for outstanding patient satisfaction (Inpatient, Emergency Department), including receiving in November 2016 the prestigious Pinnacle of Excellence Award® on the basis of extraordinary achievement for patient experience.

*Joint ownership with physicians
** Based on volume data provided by Intuitive Surgical.
*** MedAssets Performance Management Solutions, Inc. (as successor in interest to The Reilly Group, LLC d/b/a TRG Health Care Solutions, LLC), a Delaware corporation

Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health's subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers, Baylor Health Care System, Scott & White Healthcare or Baylor Scott & White Health ©2017 Baylor Scott & White Health

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About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com