Innovations
INDEPENDENT INNOVATIONS WITH RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL SERVICES, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND PATIENT MANAGEMENT
A) Minimally invasive cardiac surgery
1995 World’s first transmyocardial laser revascularization with a Holmium–YAG laser (CARDIOGENESIS Inc.) on the beating heart via li-lateral minithoracotomy for the surgical treatment of refractory angina pectoris.
1997 First MIDCAB operation (minimally invasive bypass with LIMA on LAD via li-lateral minithoracotomy) at the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Vienna
2006 Austria’s first minimally invasive aortic valve replacement operation via re-lat. Thoracotomy
2007 Austria’s first minimally invasive epicardial MAZE operation with the Gemini Bipolar system via bilateral minithoracotomy
B) other cardiac surgical operating techniques
1992 First heart transplant at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Freiburg
1992 First implantation of an aortic homograft at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Freiburg
1999 Development, world first and routine clinical application of a new technique for mitral valve reconstruction in cases of prolapse of the anterior mitral valve leaflet: Triangular plication of the anterior mitral leaflet (Triangular plication of the anterior mitral leaflet: a new operative technique. Ann Thorac Surg 2004; 78:e36-7)
2001 Austria’s first combined MAZE operation (combination: surgical incision and microwave ablation including additional procedure) for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation
2004 Development and routine use of reconstructive procedures using autologous pericardial patches for florid tricuspid valve endocarditis. (Midterm follow-up of tricuspid valve reconstruction due to active infective endocarditis. Ann Thorac Surg 2007; 84:1943-48)
2008 World’s first correction of an atrial septal defect with severe pulmonary hypertension and 10 months of pretreatment with bosentan (Atrial septal defect repair after a 10-month treatment with bosentan in a patient with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension: a case report. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2009; 138:785-786)
2010 World’s first combined operation of a pulmonary artery aneurysm with homograft implantation and correction of a pectus excavatum (case report in preparation)
C) Introduction and implementation of new medical technology products
1997 First implantation of the Freestyle Stentless bioprosthesis in Austria
1998 World’s first use of the pneumatically operated, biventricular heart support system (BI-VAD, CARDIO TECHNOLOGIES, Inc.)
1999 First implantation of the Freestyle “extended root” stentless bioprosthesis in Austria
2002 First implantation of the MC3 tricuspid valve ring in Europe for the reconstructive treatment of tricuspid valve insufficiency
2003 Second epicardial MAZE operation in the world (first in Austria) for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation with the “ULTRAMAZE SYSTEM” (Focused Ultrasound) on the beating heart without a heart lung machine
2006 First implantation of the GC Future Annuloplasty Band for mitral valve reconstruction in Austria
2008 First implantation of the Mosaic Ultra bioprosthesis in the aortic position in Austria
2009 First implantation of the Mosaic Ultra Mitral bioprosthesis in the mitral position at the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna
2010 First implantation of the Perceval Sutureless aortic valve prosthesis at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna (10/2010)
