The emerging role of minimally invasive extracorporeal circulation in totally endoscopic and robotic-assisted cardiac surgery procedures

Background: This review explores the potential benefits of combining totally endoscopic and robotic-assisted cardiac surgery with minimally invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC). Robotic techniques herald a new era of surgical precision, leveraging advanced instrumentation and enhanced visualization to navigate cardiac anatomy with unprecedented accuracy. Purpose: Concurrently, MiECC systems provide tailored physiological support during cardiopulmonary bypass, meticulously managing perfusion parameters to safeguard vital organs' function. Results: The convergence of these cutting-edge technologies marks a paradigmatic shift in cardiac surgical practice, with potential mitigation of invasiveness, attenuation of perioperative complications, and expedite postoperative recovery. Conclusions: This review also addresses prevailing challenges and limitations, including technological complexities and procedural intricacies, while elucidating the strategic imperatives for optimizing their collaborative utilization.