Center of Excellence
Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
Program Overview
Our board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons specialize in modern minimally invasive techniques designed to reduce hospital stays, minimize discomfort, and help patients return to their daily lives sooner. As part of Naples Comprehensive Health, we provide coordinated cardiac care across the full patient journey, from initial diagnosis through recovery.
Every patient receives a personalized surgical plan tailored to their specific heart condition, ensuring the approach best suited to each patient’s condition and overall health.
Program Overview
Our board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons are leaders in modern, minimally invasive techniques that reduce hospital stays, minimize discomfort, and help patients return to their daily lives sooner. As part of Naples Comprehensive Health, we bring together cutting-edge surgical innovation and seamlessly coordinated cardiac care, from initial diagnosis through full recovery.
Every patient receives a personalized surgical plan tailored to their specific heart condition, ensuring the safest approach and the best possible results.
What Is Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery?
Minimally invasive heart surgery is an alternative to traditional open-heart surgery that uses smaller incisions, often between the ribs, rather than opening the chest with a full sternotomy. Specialized instruments and high-definition imaging systems are used to support precision during the procedure.
Traditional open-heart surgery often requires a sternotomy, which involves dividing the breastbone to access the heart. Minimally invasive heart surgery uses smaller incisions for select procedures.
Depending on the patient and condition, minimally invasive techniques may include:
- Mini-thoracotomy (small incision between the ribs)
- Robotic-assisted cardiac surgery
- Video-assisted surgical approaches
- Catheter-based hybrid procedures performed in collaboration with interventional cardiology
Benefits May Include:
- Smaller incisions with reduced trauma and scarring
- Less blood loss and fewer transfusions
- Lower risk of infection
- Reduced postoperative pain
- Shorter hospital stays
- Faster overall recovery
- Quicker return to normal daily activities
- Less visible scarring
Is Minimally Invasive Surgery Right for You?
While many patients may benefit from minimally invasive techniques, not everyone is a candidate. Our team conducts a thorough evaluation to determine the safest and most effective approach based on each patient’s unique heart condition.
Whether minimally invasive heart surgery is right for you depends on several factors, including the type of heart condition being treated, prior chest surgery, overall health, anatomy, imaging findings, and whether a minimally invasive approach can be performed safely.
Who Is a Candidate?
Eligibility for minimally invasive surgery depends on the condition being treated, the patient’s anatomy, prior surgical history, overall health, and whether a minimally invasive approach can be performed safely.
Our team performs a comprehensive evaluation to determine the safest and most effective surgical approach for each patient.
Treatments & Procedures
Our team has extensive experience in minimally invasive cardiac surgery and complex heart procedures.
Procedures and Surgical Approaches:
- Minimally invasive valve repair and replacement
- Select minimally invasive coronary artery bypass procedures
- Structural heart procedures using minimally invasive and hybrid techniques
Evaluation, Support, and Recovery Services:
- Expert cardiac surgical consultation
- Multidisciplinary case review
- Second-opinion evaluations
- Advanced imaging and diagnostics
- Coordinated pre- and postoperative care
- Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation support
From your initial appointment through recovery, you will have a dedicated care team providing coordinated and continuous support.
Conditions We Treat
Our minimally invasive techniques are used to treat a wide range of cardiac conditions. Not every condition or patient is best served by a minimally invasive approach, which is why each case is carefully evaluated to determine the safest and most effective treatment plan.
Valve Disorders
- Mitral valve regurgitation or stenosis
- Aortic valve regurgitation or stenosis
- Tricuspid valve disease
- Pulmonary valve disease
- Multi-Valve disease
Structural Heart Conditions
- Atrial and ventricular septal defects
- Anomalous pulmonary venous return
- Cardiac tumors
- Atrial fibrillation (surgical ablation procedures)
Ascending Aortic Aneurysms
- Isolated ascending aortic aneurysms
- Combined ascending aortic aneurysms with aortic valve and/or mitral valve disease
- Aortic Root aneurysms with aortic valve disease and reimplantation of the coronaries
Coronary Artery Disease
- Select cases of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
Testing & Diagnostics
Accurate diagnosis is essential for successful treatment. At the Rooney Heart Institute, we use advanced cardiovascular imaging and diagnostic technologies, including:
- Echocardiography
- Cardiac CT and MRI
- Stress testing
- Cardiac catheterization
- 3D model imaging for surgical planning
These tools help our team evaluate candidacy and plan the safest surgical approach.
Our Team
Our Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Program brings together board‑certified cardiothoracic surgeons, interventional cardiologists, cardiac anesthesiologists, advanced practice providers, specialized cardiac nurses, and rehabilitation experts – all collaborating to support you from consultation through recovery.
