Welcome To Houston's Leader in Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery

Mouseover images to enlarge Scar from Full Sternotomy

Incision scars from robotic-assisted Heller Myotomy

Incision scars from Mini-Thoracotomy to repair mitral valve

Houston Cardiac Surgery Associates, located in Houston, Texas, is a practice of cardio-thoracic surgeons that specialize in minimally invasive procedures for a variety of illnesses and conditions involving the heart, lungs and other organs of the chest. Doctors Donald Gibson and Miguel Gomez have been leading the Houston area and the nation in many firsts in the use of minimally invasive techniques. There are many options to a full sternotomy (cracking the chest open at the breast plate or sternom - see photo). Houston Cardiac Surgery Associates use partial sternotomies, robotic-assisted surgeries and other techniques to avoid the more traditional, more invasive approaches to chest surgery.

As you can see from the photos to the right, a full sternotomy is indeed major surgery. The full breast plate or sternom is cut to expose the organs of the chest. Two alternatives, a partial sternotomy or robotic-assisted procedures greatly reduce the complications associated with the full sternotomy. The photo at the middle-right shows a robotic-assisted Heller Myotomy to correct Achalasia. The photo at the bottom-right shows the incisions for a robotic mini-thoracotomy to repair or replace a mitral valve in the heart. Note the incisions just below the breast provides access to the chest cavity between the ribs.

There are many less-invasive procedures that can be used for a variety of conditions and illnesses including:

• Myasthenia Gravis
• Aortic Valve Repair and Replacement
• Lung Lobectomy (or Wedge Resection of Mass)
• Mitral Valve Repair or Replacement
• Achalasia
• Coronary Artery Disease
• Pacemaker Lead Replacement (LV Lead Replacement)

Less invasive techniques and procedures include:

• Robotic Surgery
• Off-pump or "beating heart" coronary bypass surgery
• Partial Sternotomy vs. Full Sternotomy

• Current News
  	Dr. Miguel Gomez on "Great Day Houston" Dr. Miguel Gomez Performs Robotic Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis in Houston See a Replay of a live Off-Pump Coronary Bypass – A Beating Heart Procedure. More News...

  Mini Thoracotomy

Please review our site for information on these minimally invasive procedures, their benefits and our past successes at applying these procedures to an ever increasing number of conditions and illnesses. If we can be of assistance or answer any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us for an appointment.