The review will determine whether Damiano can proceed to Phase II, which involves performing the bypass surgery on patients whose hearts are beating, foregoing the use of the life support machine. The operation, held last month, went smoothly, with stitches being applied by robotic arms directly on the patient's beating heart. That attitude is changing, however, as the learning curve shrinks. Researchers at The John Hopkins Institute have established the nation's center to train surgeons on the new technology. A specialist in Amsterdam, for instance, could perform an operation on a patient in Wyoming, with a doctor present to assist in case of complications.
Surgery is about to become cheaper, more convenient, and less traumatic.
He looked completely wrecked as he lay there on the hospital bed, and his recovery, as Colleen describes, took months. And although the surgery did help him, I can't help thinking how wonderful it's going to be when cardiac surgery is reduced to an outpatient procedure. 2001 Technocopia Inc. Do not reproduce without written permission. Terms of Use .