MICS and Robotic-Assisted Surgery: A Roundtable Discussion With the Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeons Club

In this roundtable, cardiac surgeon and CTSNet Senior Editor Dr. Lorena Montes spoke with the board members of the Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeons (ECS) Club about minimally invasive endoscopic and robotic surgery. The members included CTSNet Senior Editor Mario Castillo-Sang (Saint Elizabeth Healthcare), Piotr Suwalski (National Medical Institute of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Center of Postgraduate Medical Education), Patrick Perier (Klinik für Herzchirurgie – Rhön Klinikum – Campus Bad Neustadt), Mattia Glauber (IRCCS Ospedale Galeazzi-Sant’Ambrogio), Joseph Zacharias (Lancashire Cardiac Centre), and Marco Solinas (Ospedale del Cuore-Fondazione Monasterio).  

They discussed the history of the ECS Club and their experiences switching to an endoscopic approach. They also covered endoscopic handheld vs endoscopic robotic techniques, establishing programs, and surgical instruments such as scopes. Additionally, they discussed training and fellowships, the need for more specialists in cardiothoracic surgery, and the learning curve for endoscopic surgery. Tips and tricks for cannulation, myocardial protection, and more were also shared. Finally, they explored the future directions of endoscopic surgery.  

Click here to view the videos from the 2025 Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeons Club Video Competition.  

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