Research Assessment #2

Name: Milind Renjit

Date: 8/29/18

Subject: The Future of Cardiac Surgery

Teacher: Mrs. Brittain

MLA citation:  

 

Yaffee, David, and Mathew Williams. “Cardiac Surgery and the Future.” American College of Cardiology, ACC, 9 Sept. 2015, www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2015/09/09/08/44/cardiac-surgery-and-the-future. 

 

 

Assessment:

 

 

The future of Cardiac Surgery is what holds the most significance towards my ISM field of study, Cardiothoracic Surgery. This article titled, “Cardiac Surgery and the Future”, is an expert analysis done in collaboration by David Yaffee MD and Mathew Williams MD, FACC. They discuss the current state of Cardiac Surgery and what the profession as a whole is making a transition towards. With the current outlook the medical industry is moving towards, Cardiac Surgery is considered to be a dying field. However, through the analysis, it can be understood that the field is only evolving to accommodate advancements in technology and the needs of patients in the future.

 

The article starts off by explaining the current state of cardiac surgery. This is information that was shocking to me due to the fact that it was indicating that the field is having a great decline. With the availability of new technology and the attraction towards the less invasive procedures, the core concept of open heart surgery is becoming less and less viable. With many considering cardiac surgery to still be a very young field, it can be noted that until now, the main reason why there was such growth of the field is due to the high number of cases of atherosclerotic heart disease. The newfound population of patients within the cardiothoracic field caused many of the upcoming doctors to align their interests and focus on cardiac surgery. With more patients beginning to have heart problems, subsequent issues arise and this causes an even bigger increase in demand for this field. In addition, the rise of cardiac surgery was also its downfall. With all the new technology and the rate at which it was introduced and perfected, the ability to fix a lot of the issues at a much faster pace made the market stagnant. Which brings me to today's time where those who have an interest in the field get very nervous about pursuing cardiac surgery.

 

The good news is that cardiac surgery is not going anywhere due to technological advancements. Everyday a more efficient way to do a procedure with less effort for the doctor, and an easier recovery for the patients is being made. In the terms of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), less invasive to non-invasive methods are gaining more support. The old method called for repair of the valve, while the other, more advanced concept of a full replacement allows for a procedure to be performed with more of a chance of survival and fewer recurrence rates. This aspect of the field was something I am very interested in due to the increased use of 3D Printed organs in the world of medicine. This allowed for a new, more stable part to be used by the patients, instead of an old, damaged one.

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Another aspect of cardiac surgery that is beginning to become more widely known is the use of robotics in surgery. With decreased bleeding, pain, limitations, and duration of stay at the hospital, robotic surgery is showing a lot of potential. The main issue that is concerning the industry is the possible lack of ability to become accustomed to the new methods. With the new and upcoming generation of doctors, it is more than possible to train us to use such machines in our daily lives. But for doctors who have performed the old methods for years on end, it can be very difficult to convince them to learn something completely new. This has caused a huge delay in the ability of this method to become a standard.

 

The last topic discussed in the article was the use of non-invasive and minimally invasive treatments as the main source of healing. With the use of percutaneous methods, transcatheter mitral valve implantations, mechanical or bioprosthetic valves, and less invasive procedures, the field of cardiac surgery will be revitalized. With that being said, the main question running through my mind was, is it really surgery? The answer is that regular surgery as we know it is going to evolve into the least invasive form possible. With the ability for fewer deaths, and less troubles for the patient's short term and long term, the push for perfecting these less invasive routes have never been so high. The surgeries that are performed today will only be needed in the worst case scenarios when the less invasive route is not effective enough and/or too dangerous. There will always be a need for the ability to do an open heart surgery regardless of when. The only criteria are how badly or quickly is it required.

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The direction at which cardiac surgery is trending right now shows that the need and use of regular open heart surgeries are dying. The way it will be progressing in the future will transition to the use of robots and the least invasive operations with the best possible results for the patient. This, along with collaboration amongst other professionals in the industry, will ensure technologically driven cardiac surgery procedures in the future. One that is more prevalent and sought after than it is today. Some consider this to be the end of cardiac surgery as we know it, but the solution can be brought through the introduction of new technology and its acceptance by the practitioners will allow the field to have a rebirth.