As of 2021, over 500 patients in Singapore and from the region have gone through the MICTS programme at NUHCS. Patients have reported comparable or better outcomes.
Conventional open-heart surgeries requires a sternotomy where an incision is made to break the breast bone and open the chest cavity, resulting in a longer recovery time of 6-8 weeks.
The keyhole surgery approach allowed patients to recover in a shorter time as only a smaller incision with higher precision and accuracy is made, achieving better surgical outcomes. Patients report being able to return to their regular daily activities sooner, including physical exercise, usual work and lifestyle routines.
Cardiac procedures that can be done via keyhole surgery at NUHCS include:
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- ASD closure and treatments of Arrhythmias
- CABG/TECAB/MIDCABG
- Combined Surgeries
- Mitral Valve Surgery
- Tricuspid Valve Surgery
- All types of transcatheter procedures
Benefits of keyhole surgery include:
- Smaller incisions
- Lowest surgical trauma and re-intervention rates
- Better cosmetic (small scar) result
- Shorter recovery times
Read more about Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
here.
Professor Kofidis and his team have captured their insights in a new book, "Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery: A Practical Guide". The book aims to advance patient care and extend the benefits of this technique to more patients in the region. The book has been specially designed with interactive multimedia through QR codes to enhance readers' experiences and better demonstrate key concepts expounded in the text.
The NUHCS Lung Surgery Centre was established in 2007, carrying out more than 400 lung surgeries each year. It is the first centre in Singapore to perform Uniportal Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (UVATS) in 2009 and is the only centre in Singapore with a full team of experienced UVATS thoracic surgeons supported by a team of specialty care nurses and case managers.
UVATS is a new surgical technique developed by A/Prof John Tam, founding Head of Thoracic Surgery and Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery (CTVS), NUHCS, in his pursuit to reduce post-operative pain and surgical risks for lung surgery patients. Compared to the conventional multi-portal Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) which uses a few small incisions on the patient's torso to access the lungs, UVATS uses only one small cut and is currently the least invasive technique for lung surgery.
Watch how UVATS is performed here.
Thoracic procedures that can be done via keyhole approach at NUHCS:
- Lung Cancer/Tumours
- Various Thorax Procedures
Benefits of UVATS:
- Only 1 single small cut (2-3cm) is made on the chest
- Reduced surgical risks
- Increased better outcomes and safer for patients
- Faster recovery
Committed to providing the highest standard of care for patients and advancing the field of thoracic surgery, A/Prof Tam and his team continue to pursue innovative solutions through cutting-edge research and education.
