NEW HAVEN, CT (April 21, 2026) — Since relaunching its minimally invasive robotic cardiac surgery program six months ago, Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) Heart and Vascular Center has completed 50 robotic heart surgeries, highlighting the hospital’s leadership in advanced cardiac care and its expanding role as a national destination for less invasive heart procedures.
Among the most advanced procedures now offered at YNHH is totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECABG), a highly complex form of robot-assisted bypass surgery performed through small incisions without opening the chest.
Yale New Haven Hospital is among a small number of medical centers in the United States—and the only hospital in New England—offering fully endoscopic robotic coronary bypass surgery. Using high-definition visualization and robotic instruments, surgeons operate through small openings between the ribs rather than splitting the breastbone.
The highly specialized procedure is performed by fewer than one percent of cardiac surgeons worldwide and is currently offered at a handful of centers, with an estimated 15 surgeons globally possessing the advanced training and experience required to perform it consistently.
Kelsey Gray, MD, director of cardiothoracic transplant at YNHH and assistant professor of cardiac surgery at Yale School of Medicine, is one of those 15 surgeons who specializes in robotic coronary bypass surgery.
“Robotic-assisted endoscopic bypass surgery represents a fundamental shift in how we treat coronary artery disease,” said Dr. Gray. “For carefully selected patients, it offers the durability of traditional bypass surgery with a much less invasive approach and a significantly faster recovery.”
Unlike traditional open-heart bypass surgery, the robotic endoscopic approach is performed as a closed-chest procedure. The heart continues to beat during surgery, and a heart-lung bypass machine is not required. Keeping the heart beating helps reduce the risk of complications and supports faster recovery.
“The ability to provide this highly advanced procedure highlights the depth of surgical expertise within an academic medical center,” said Marc Pelletier, MD, chief of cardiac surgery at YNHH. “It represents both individual excellence and our collective commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in patient-centered care.”
Patients undergoing totally endoscopic robotic bypass surgery at YNHH have experienced accelerated recovery and reduced postoperative burden compared with conventional open-chest bypass surgery. Among appropriately selected patients:
• Most are breathing on their own within hours of surgery
• Typical hospital stays are three to four days, compared with five to seven days for
traditional bypass surgery
• Many patients resume light daily activities within one to two weeks
• Full recovery often occurs within three to four weeks, compared with six to 12
weeks following open-chest surgery
• Patients experience less postoperative pain, reduced need for opioid medications,
and minimal scarring
Because the breastbone remains intact, patients also avoid many postoperative restrictions and face a lower risk of wound complications—an important consideration for older adults and patients with diabetes or other chronic conditions.
As an academic medical center, Yale New Haven Hospital continues to expand its minimally invasive and hybrid coronary revascularization programs, integrating advanced surgical techniques with interventional cardiology to provide personalized treatment options for patients with complex heart disease.
With 50 robotic cardiac cases completed in the past six months and growing demand, YNHH is positioned to perform more than 100 robotic heart surgeries annually, strengthening its role as a destination for advanced, less invasive cardiac care.
In addition to robotic coronary revascularization, YNHH Heart and Vascular Center also offers patients robotic minimally invasive mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve surgery.
For more information about advanced cardiac surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital, click here.
Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org
