Advances in surgical techniques have made minimally invasive and robotic surgery an option for many heart surgery patients. Robotic surgery usually is associated with minimally invasive surgery, but it also can be used in certain traditional open surgical procedures. The benefits of minimally invasive surgery include; fewer complications; less pain and blood loss; quicker recovery; and smaller, less noticeable scars.

In minimally invasive heart surgery, heart surgeons perform surgery through small incisions in the right side of your chest as an alternative to open-heart surgery. Minimally invasive heart surgery may be performed to treat various heart conditions. Robotic surgery, or robot-assisted surgery, enables doctors to perform many types of complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control than is possible with conventional techniques.

On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. Joseph Dearani, the chair of Cardiovascular Surgery at Mayo Clinic, will discuss minimally invasive and robotic heart surgery. Also, Dr. Erin O'Brien, the division chair of Rhinology at Mayo Clinic, will explain treatment for aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, also known as Samter's triad. And Dr. Jewel Kling, a women's health expert at Mayo Clinic, will discuss gender identity.