Cardiothoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) is dedicated to the surgical management of ailments of the heart, lungs, chest, and blood vessels, and it includes a broad variety of operations intended to treat thoracic and cardiovascular diseases. CTVS includes vascular reconstructions, lung cancer excision, heart surgery, and coronary artery bypass grafting, and as a result of these operations, the patients' lives may be significantly improved. 

For this reason, CTVS departments are dedicated to providing the best possible treatment in order to ensure the greatest results. With the advancements in medical technology, CTVS surgeries too are seeing a promising future that might result in revolutionary changes in the field.  

What is CTVS?

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (CTVS) is a specialty field that is essential to the treatment of many different types of heart and chest conditions, and this field of surgery treats diseases of the esophagus as well. Surgeons have historically operated on the heart and lung with "open chest" surgery procedures, and patients get left with a noticeable scar along the center of their chest after recovery. 

CTVS uses small incisions to efficiently treat heart conditions, thanks to its minimally invasive technique, and this process results in decreased blood loss, a shorter hospital stay, and a quicker recuperation period for the patient.  

CTVS can be used to treat Coronary Artery Disease, where reduced blood flow results from narrowing or blockage of the blood arteries feeding the cardiac muscle in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and heart attacks or angina (chest discomfort) may arise from this condition. Blood flow inside the heart can get disrupted by conditions that damage the heart valves, and many times, heart surgery using the CTVS process is required to replace or repair malfunctioning valves. 

To ensure optimal cardiac function, congenital cardiac structural defect abnormalities are frequently corrected using CTVS surgery. CTVS processes are also essential to treat lung cancer since they remove malignant tumors and lung tissue that have been impacted, and life-threatening complications can be avoided with this surgical intervention. 

Future Prospects of CTVS Heart Surgery 

CTVS remains a specialty field that requires sophisticated knowledge and state-of-the-art equipment, however, in recent years, outcomes have significantly improved as a result of important developments such as the use of artificial intelligence, robotic assistance, and 3D-assisted surgery. 

Exciting opportunities exist in the emerging subfields of CTVS, such as heart transplantation, artificial hearts, ventricular assist devices, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), and heart failure surgery because of these recent technical advances. Let us take a look at the technical developments that have made the prospects of CTVS truly promising because the future of this field may very well depend on modern inventions.  

1.Use of Artificial Intelligence in CTVS

Collaboration between several specialist doctors used to be necessary for the sophisticated and high-risk medical intervention of CTVS; however, with the introduction of AI, that is no longer the case. Because of its ability to enhance the surgery processes, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in CTVS has become more common, especially for cardiovascular thoracic surgery. 

By taking into account a variety of data sources, including patient health conditions, and history of illness, artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to have a significant impact on the CTVS surgical decision-making and assist surgeons in projecting the potential consequences of surgical procedures. 

As artificial intelligence is being used in healthcare settings more and more, CTVS surgery uses machine learning algorithms in several phases of the clinical process. Artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly impact a number of healthcare processes, including preoperative and postoperative patient management, surgery management, robotics, and machine learning, and it has the potential to greatly assist surgeons in performing more complicated surgeries with higher success rates, fewer problems, and greater security for patients. 

It can also provide resources for rigorous research and improved knowledge dissemination, which is especially true for intricate CTVS surgeries like cardiothoracic surgery. With a few more years of research, AI may help CTVS surgeons save a lot more lives with much less difficulties.  

2. 3D Printing Benefits in CTVS 

Advanced planning before CTVS surgery and improved diagnostics are now possible using cardiovascular 3D printed models, and the bulk of the applications deal with disorders of the arteries, valves, and congenital heart defects. Both old-school surgical treatments and less invasive CTVS treatments benefit from the use of 3D-printed models, but with CTVS, the progress has been truly immense. 

There have been reports of added value in terms of bettering results, lowering perioperative risk, and creating novel techniques such as transcatheter mitral valve restorations with the use of this technology. In a similar manner, surgeons performing cardiovascular thoracic surgery are utilizing 3D printing to help with upper and lower airway illness diagnosis and therapy, as well as to evaluate tumor invasion of critical tissues. 

CTVS surgeons may select the best surgical approach, do surgery more swiftly, and find the patient’s medical condition quickly with image review thanks to 3D anatomical models. 3D-printed implants used for CTVS surgeries that are customized for each patient are starting to become available, and they might significantly influence both life-saving and non-life-threatening surgeries in the future, and it might revolutionize the field of CTVS surgery.

3. Robot-assisted CTVS Surgery 

With the use of a computerized robotic arm with tiny instruments attached, CTVS surgeons may now execute intricate procedures with the aid of robotic surgery, also known as robot-assisted surgery. Smaller incisions and precise motion control are produced by the minimally invasive approach, improving patient outcomes, and the advancements in this field are still increasing. In many aspects, robotic surgery is better than traditional open surgery and endoscopic surgery because in order to improve the perception of the depth of the operating area, the technology offers an enlarged, three-dimensional view of the surgical site. 

The robotic arms that are helping the CTVS surgeons move with greater flexibility, precision, and tremor-free movements, as a result, the fulcrum effect that comes with using long-shafted endoscopic tools is eliminated. The robotic system's multi-jointed endo-wrist, which resembles a wrist and has articulating devices, enables the CTVS surgeon to work in confined spaces like the left atrium of the heart. Since research is still ongoing in this field, one may hope that with the help of robot-assisted surgeries, CTVS techniques will only become more efficient.  

Final Remarks

Cardiothoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) is a specialty field of surgery that treats illnesses of the chest, lungs, and heart, and these types of surgeries are used to treat a wide range of diseases. CTVS is considered a growing field that is constantly being improved through the use of new techniques and technology, and these procedures have saved numerous lives. The future of heart surgery through the use of CTVS looks bright because of the fast pace of improvement in the medical technology field. 

If you are in need of a cardiovascular checkup or treatment, contact Medanta and benefit from the expertise of their experienced physicians.