The Heart of the Matter is the Matter of the Heart: A Rare Heart Tumor

Welcome to this series of CTSNet videos on Thoracic Surgical Oncology - Technical Approaches, by Professor Tristan D. Yan. This video, narrated by Joel Dunning of Middlesbrough, UK, demonstrates a fascinating case of robotic left atrial myxoma excision.

Primary heart tumors are rare. This patient was found to have a large tumor in the left atrium, obstructing the mitral valve orifice, and the tumor was friable, which could have easily caused embolic stroke. In this case, a robotic surgical approach was used to remove the tumor completely. The patient's postoperative recovery was smooth. The robotic platform provides superior visualization and enhanced dexterity through keyhole incisions. Robotic surgery is an integral part of Dr Yan’s Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Program at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia.