Comparison of postoperative quality of life for patients who undergo atrial myxoma excision with robotically assisted versus conventional surgery.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Robotically assisted cardiac surgery is an alternative to conventional, open-chest surgery. Although studies have been done on the clinical effect, morbidity, and mortality of robotically assisted atrial myxoma excision, few have addressed surgical outcomes, such as pain, quality of life (QOL), and length of sick leave from work. In this study, our aim was to evaluate these clinical variables among patients after they undergo robotically assisted atrial myxoma excision surgery.

METHODS:

Between January 2007 and January 2013, a total of 93 patients underwent either conventional sternotomy or robotically assisted atrial myxoma excision in our unit. The 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Survey was used to assess the clinical outcomes in these patients postoperatively, at day 30 and 6 months.

RESULTS:

The QOL scores for 7 of 8 variables in the robotically assisted group were significantly higher than those in the conventional group at postoperative day 30 (P < .05). The degree of pain and its influence on work or life was lower in the robotically assisted group (P < .05), and these patients returned to work after 0.9 ± 0.1 months, whereas those in the conventional group needed a sick leave of 3.3 ± 0.4 months.

CONCLUSIONS:

The level of restoration of normal QOL within 30 days after atrial myxoma surgery is excellent with the robotically assisted approach, which may enable early return to employment and satisfactory recovery.

• Authors: Ming Yang, Minghui Yao, Gang Wang, Cangsong Xiao, Yang Wu, Huajun Zhang, Changqing Gao
• Journal: The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg) Vol. 150 Issue 1 Pg. 152-7 (Jul 2015) ISSN: 1097-685X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25769777 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Cardiac Surgical Procedures (methods)
• Female
• Heart Atria
• Heart Neoplasms (surgery)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Myxoma (surgery)
• Quality of Life
• Retrospective Studies
• Robotic Surgical Procedures