On January 12, Ho Chi Minh City University Medical Center Hospital said that the unit had just successfully treated a 64-year-old female patient with full 3D endoscopic surgery. The patient had surgery and radiation therapy for breast cancer more than 30 years ago.
The patient was admitted to the hospital in a state of shortness of breath, chest pain during exertion. A cardiac ultrasound showed severe aortic valve opening due to valve degeneration. A coronary examination recorded 90% stenosis of the aortic septum opening in the right coronary artery. According to recommendations, this is a case with indications for aortic valve replacement combined with coronary embolization in the same surgery.
In patients with a history of radiation therapy in the chest area, opening the sternum potentially poses a risk of tissue adherency and difficulty in controlling the surgical site. Therefore, the surgical team considers choosing 3D endoscopy.
According to Dr. Pham Tran Viet Chuong - Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Medical Center Hospital HCMC, the 3D endoscopic system with high-resolution cameras allows surgeons to clearly observe the root structure of the aorta, heart valve and coronary artery thanks to its ability to amplify and recreate spatial depth.
This significantly supports operations that require high accuracy, such as artificial valve sewing or creating a mouth to connect the right coronary artery vein within the limited space of endoscopic surgery.
Throughout the surgery, the team coordinated to perform two tasks including biomolecular aortic valve replacement and coronary angioplasty. The total extracorporeal circulatory time and cardiac arrest were controlled at a level equivalent to open surgery.
At the time of aortic anastomosis, when the patient's heart beats back naturally, the valve operates stably and the bridge flows smoothly. This is an important sign recording the patient's stability during surgery. The results recorded in this case are consistent with the trend reported in medical literature.
3 hours after the surgery ended, the patient was removed from the trachea, discharged from resuscitation for 24 hours and no blood transfusion needed. The heart ultrasound showed that the blood output rate was about 60%, the valve functioned well, and there was no regional movement disorder. The patient exercised early, had less pain, and was discharged from the hospital after 5 days of treatment.
Assessing this case, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hoang Dinh - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City University Medical Center Hospital - said that 3D endoscopic technique is one of the appropriate treatment support options for patients in prescribed cases. The application of minimally invasive techniques, when properly considered for indication and implemented with the coordination of many specialties, can contribute to reducing complications and shortening recovery time for patients.
