Robotic mitral valve repair: A single center experience over a 7-year period

Background:We report the clinical and echocardiographic results of our experiencein robotic mitral valve repair over a 7‐year period. The outcomes of the earliest andthe latest patients will be compared.Methods:Between March 2012 and October 2019, 226 patients underwent roboticmitral valve repair for severe mitral regurgitation in a single institution. The first113 patients (Group 1) were operated between March 2012 and September 2015and the last 113 patients (Group 2) between October 2015 and October 2019.Conventional techniques employed in open surgery were used. Clinical andechographic follow‐up were 96.0% and 94.2% complete, respectively.Results:Successful mitral repair was achieved in all cases with no hospital mortality.The overall survival rate was 92.7 ± 2.8% and 91.0 ± 3.2% at 3 and 7 years, respec-tively, with no in between groups difference (p= 0.513). The overall freedom frommitral reoperation was 97.4 ± 1.2% at 3 and 7 years and was similar in both groups(p= 0.276). Freedom from mitral regurgitation Grade 2+ at 3 and 7 years were89.1 ± 2.6% and 87.9 ± 2.8%, respectively, with no significant difference betweengroups (p= 0.056).Conclusions:Developing a robotic mitral repair program can be done withoutcompromising the safety and efficacy of repair. After a well‐conducted training,robotic approach allows to perform simple and complex mitral repair using similartechniques as in conventional approach and without additional risk for the patien