Surgical treatment of a left ventricular apical thrombus via robotic surgery

Abstract

Left ventriculotomy for thrombus removal is usually associated with a high incidence of cardiac arrhythmias and decreased ejection fraction. A 51-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department with loss of consciousness. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a 20 × 24-mm left ventricular apical nonpedunculated thrombus with normal ejection fraction. A persistent thrombus was shown on magnetic resonance imaging despite anticoagulation therapy. Robotic surgery was planned to avoid possible ventriculotomy-related complications, considering the preoperative neurological condition of the patient. The thrombus was completely removed surgically through left atriotomy using the DaVinci robotic system. In conclusion, robotic surgery can be used in the surgical treatment of left ventriculotomy thrombus in selected patients.