Surgeon Q&A: Scar Tissue and Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Reoperations

Is it possible to have a minimally-invasive heart valve surgery after multiple open-heart procedures? Scar tissue can complicate reoperations, but exciting advancements are helping patients find new treatment options. To explain how minimally-invasive heart valve reoperations are performed despite scar tissue challenges, we spoke with Dr. Patrick McCarthy, Executive Director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. (Video posted on August 18, 2025)