@davemark my mom received a new heart valve using a non-invasive procedure that started in a vein in her leg about three years ago. She was walking around again on the next day and still going strong.

The real news here is that it’s robotic, I guess.

@davemark

The way I heard it, they often don't do open surgery these days. I used to work on a database cataloguing instances at Michigan hospitals of aortic and mitral valve replacements using methods other than open surgery. They usually go in through the femoral artery and snake an expandable valve up. But when I left, the radial artery was starting to become a popular method of access.
No robots, though.

@davemark science and automation have to benefit the humanity

@davemark
I had my Mitral valve repaired 6 weeks ago using a non-invasive method. They go in through the right side, collapsing the lung to let them do the work.
Robotics are becoming a thing for knees too.