any alternatives to open heart surgery

[needhelp1919asap162]

A close relative of mine was recently found to have a mass in his right tricuspid valve through echo. He is very scared to undergo open heart surgery as recomended by his cardioiogist. He wants to know if there are new technologies to remove this mass without being invasive. If there is...where is this place who can work wonders for him.

Please help.

[kenkeith]

QUOTE: "Do have any idea how much this robotic surgery will cost?"

The cost for a robotic intervension may be high to cover extra costs for the robot, but that is off-set by fewer days in the hospital to recover from smaller incisions and scar tissue.  Less probability for infection and faster recovery.

As ed states the slightest miscalculation on the part of the surgeon's handling of the controls can cause healthy tissues to be destroyed. Since robotic surgery is still developing technology in 2010, there may be few surgeons with the skill or experience to control the robot with the required precision.  

[ed34]

I have no idea of costs, I live in the UK using a national health service. Kenkeith is right, robotics take a specialised surgeon but you want one with many hours under his belt, particularly in heart surgery. Robotic surgery is less invasive, but is it safer? If there are complications then the patient will be opened up the old fashioned way.

[kenkeith]

More important how much experience does the surgeon have with robotic heart valve surgery.  Relatively safe with a surgeon that has had 1000 successful procedures...usually a larger hospital .

[needhelp1919asap162]

Do have any idea how much this robotic surgery will cost?

[needhelp1919asap162]

He has opted for robotically assisted surgery which is less invasive .

[ed34]

I know that valve replacements can be done using angioplasty, the old valve is completely destroyed by squashing it into the heart wall using a balloon, while the new valve is opened in place. However, it is FAR better to repair a valve than have a new one.
IF the valve is only giving MILD regurgitation, then regular monitoring could be done until matters get worse, IF they get worse. What led to the initial tests and findings? are there symptoms involved? With no restriction to blood flow AND just MILD regurgitation, I see no immediate reason for open heart surgery.

[needhelp1919asap162]

He has thickened tricuspid valve leaflets with echogenic myxomatous mass about 2 cm in its widest diameter with probable attachment to the posterior tricuspid valve leaflet but exhibiting no obstructive tumor plop or right ventricular inflow obstruction in diastole. Shows mild tricuspid regurgitation.

How fast does this mass grow? Is it wise to wait for another 3 mths. before this surgery is done? He wants to have a 3rd echo done before making his decision.

[ed34]

Have they established what the mass is composed of?

[ed34]

I can't see any other way of doing the procedure. The problem is the risk of any of the mass escaping. IF such tools existed to do the procedure through Angioplasty, the huge risk would be some of the mass breaking free and causing a massive heart attack or stroke. When the open heart procedure is performed, the patient is on a bypass machine so the vessels can be clamped off, making it impossible for the mass to go anywhere.
I understand the fear, I felt the exact same way before my bypass surgery. I had always grown up with the fear of ever needing such surgery, then having to suddenly face it was a nightmare. I can just say that the success rate is very high indeed.