Anesthesia for Robotic Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

The increasing presence of robotic assisted cardiac surgeries in the operating room presents new challenges to the cardiac anesthesiologist. Anesthesiologists need to have expertise in advanced transesophageal imaging and need to participate in perioperative planning. Furthermore, anesthesiologists must develop skills in placing specialized venous cannulas and have advanced airway management skills. With these skills anesthesiologists can play a significant role in determining the surgical plan and ensuring optimal care of these patients. This chapter illustrates and examines areas that are unique to anesthetic management of robotic cardiac surgery with an emphasis on mitral valve operations.