Thoracic surgery refers to the surgery of the heart, lungs, and esophagus. Many thoracic heart conditions require surgical intervention when medical medications or catheter interventions fail to relieve symptoms. These include, but are not limited to, mitral valve prolapse, atrial septal defect, and coronary artery disease. Mitral valve prolapse refers to the failure of one or all of the mitral valve leaflets to open and close properly to control blood flow to the heart, resulting in a small amount of regurgitant blood flow from the valve orifice. Atrial septal defect is a congenital defect of the septum between the right and left atria that is present at birth. Coronary artery disease refers to the hardening and narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart’s own blood supply when cholesterol atheromatous plaques form and collect on the inner walls of the coronary arteries. Facing traditional heart surgery or other open-heart procedures can be an intimidating experience, and it is often difficult to focus on the next steps of treatment. But you have some options, such as choosing which hospital and surgeon to go to and what treatment steps to take. Learn as much as you can about the treatment options available to you, including the options of minimally invasive surgery and open-heart surgery, and learn more to put your mind at ease. Generally speaking, surgery is the most effective way to treat heart, lung and esophageal disease. However, traditional open-heart surgery requires a large incision, a median split in the sternum and the spreading of the ribs to allow the surgeon access to the chest cavity, which is the basic disadvantage of the traditional surgical approach. The 8 to 10 inch scar in the middle of the chest and the splitting of the sternum takes 8 to 12 weeks to heal, significantly delaying your return to normal daily life. Fortunately, patients facing thoracic surgery have relatively minimally invasive options available to them. Many thoracic and cardiac surgeons recognize the benefits of minimally invasive surgery by inserting a thoracoscope (miniature television camera) through the rib cage to complete a coronary artery bypass or heart repair as well as surgery of the esophagus. However, this surgical approach has its limitations and often does not allow for precise and complex cardiac surgery operations. The da Vinci Surgical System offers surgeons and patients an alternative surgical option that may be the most effective, least invasive, and can perform even the most complex cardiothoracic surgical procedures. The advantages of the da Vinci Surgical System include: reduced incidence of infection; less blood loss and required transfusions; shorter hospital stays; less pain and scar formation; rapid recovery and return to normal activities as soon as possible; and, better clinical outcomes when performed with the da Vinci Surgical System. The da Vinci Surgical System is commonly used to treat thoracic surgical conditions such as: coronary artery disease; mitral valve prolapse, etc.