Cleveland Clinic Offers Incisionless Heart Valve Surgery

New robotic procedure requires only small neck and chest incisions, leading to faster recovery times.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 9:05pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Cleveland Clinic has introduced a new robotic aortic valve replacement procedure that requires only a small incision in the neck and chest wall, unlike traditional open-heart surgery. This transcervical robotic aortic valve replacement results in a faster recovery time and reduced pain for patients with aortic valve disease.

Why it matters

Aortic valve disease can lead to serious complications like heart failure and stroke if left untreated. The new incisionless procedure offers a less invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery, which involves large chest incisions and longer, more painful recoveries.

The details

The new transcervical robotic aortic valve replacement procedure is performed with the assistance of a robot. The surgeon controls the robot, which is used to remove the old aortic valve and implant a new one. This approach avoids any major incisions on the chest wall, resulting in less pain and a quicker recovery for patients.

  • Cleveland Clinic started offering the new procedure in 2025.

The players

Marijan Koprivanac, MD

A staff physician at Cleveland Clinic who performs the new transcervical robotic aortic valve replacement procedure.

Cleveland Clinic

A renowned academic medical center that is currently the only place offering the new incisionless heart valve surgery.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This is the first open heart surgery that we do that does not require any major incisions on a chest wall. And it basically only involves an incision on the lower neck with some small, less than a centimeter incision on a chest wall that are pretty much healable on its own.”

— Marijan Koprivanac, MD, Staff Physician, Cleveland Clinic (wishtv.com)

“Technically, as I tell all of my patients, they can go next day or not next day, next week back to normal activity and just go back to normal life.”

— Marijan Koprivanac, MD, Staff Physician, Cleveland Clinic (wishtv.com)

What’s next

Cleveland Clinic hopes this new incisionless procedure will become the new standard of care for aortic valve replacement in the future.

The takeaway

The new transcervical robotic aortic valve replacement offers a less invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery, leading to faster recovery times and reduced pain for patients with aortic valve disease. This innovative procedure highlights Cleveland Clinic's commitment to advancing cardiac care through the use of cutting-edge technology.