Robotic Septal Myectomy Without Anterior Leaflet Incision during Mitral Valve Repair

Bulging subaortic septum in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a potential risk factor for systolic anterior motion after mitral valve repair. Systolic anterior motion may cause postoperative mitral regurgitation and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction despite conservative management. During "minimally invasive endoscopic" and "robotic" mitral repair procedures, systolic anterior motion is prevented with concomitant septal myectomy through the mitral valve orifice. Technically, the exposure of the bulging subaortic septum is traditionally done with detachment of the anterior mitral leaflet from its annulus, leaving a 2-mm rim of leaflet attached to the annulus. The leaflet is then sutured after myectomy. As an alternative technique in robotic surgery, the exposure of the subaortic septum is feasible without anterior leaflet incision with the use of dynamic atrial retractor in mitral repair procedures. Here, we present a patient who underwent concomitant robotic mitral valve repair with posterior chordal implantation, ring annuloplasty, and septal myectomy without anterior leaflet incision using the da Vinci surgical system.