This week on The Beat, CTSNet Editor-in-Chief Joel Dunning speaks with Dr. Husam Balkhy, Professor of Surgery and the Director of Robotic and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at University of Chicago Medicine and President of The International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS), about robotic totally endoscopic cardiac surgery procedures. They discuss potential ways to get the world to perform more robot-assisted surgeries, the building blocks to learning robotics, the future of learning robotics, and what to expect this year at the ISMICS 2025 Annual Meeting. They also explore Dr. Balkhy’s new President’s Series on CTSNet and provide insights into the first video of this series. Joel also highlights some of the videos in the CTSNet Resident Video Competition and the robotics vs VATS debate in Britain.  

Joel also reviews recent JANS articles on the impact of restricted chests on long-term lung function parameters following lung transplantation in patients with interstitial lung disease, determinants of inadequate cardioprotection in adult patients with left ventricular dysfunction, engineered heart muscle allografts for heart repair in primates and humans, and risk factor analysis for 30-day mortality after surgery for infective endocarditis. 

In addition, Joel explores open repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms, totally 3D endoscopic third tricuspid valve replacement, and how to use the Impella for on-pump CABG in patients with low EF. Before closing, he highlights upcoming events in CT surgery.  

JANS Items Mentioned 

1.) The Impact of Restricted Chests on Long-Term Lung Function Parameters Following Lung Transplantation in Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease   

2.) Determinants of Inadequate Cardioprotection in Adult Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction 

3.) Engineered Heart Muscle Allografts for Heart Repair in Primates and Humans 

4.) Risk Factor Analysis for 30-Day Mortality After Surgery for Infective Endocarditis  

CTSNET Content Mentioned 

1.) Open Repair of Descending Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms 

2.) Totally 3D Endoscopic Third Tricuspid Valve Replacement 

3.) ICC 2024 | How I Use the Impella for On-Pump CABG in Patients With Low EF: Insertion, Intraoperative Management, and Weaning/Removal 

Other Items Mentioned 

1.) President's Series With Husam Balkhy | ISMICS President  

2.) ISMICS 2025 Annual Meeting  

3.) Career Center  

4.) CTSNet Events Calendar 

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