ROBOTIC ARMS can now go where doctors used to tread in the repair of the mitral heart valve.

The National Heart Centre here has successfully used a robotic system to mend the mitral valves of eight patients, about five per cent of the patients who need mitral valve operations in a year.

The mitral valve - a set of flaps to prevent the back flow of blood in the left chambers of the heart - needs to be repaired when it degenerates or grows faulty with disease.

Instead of making the usual 15cm incision, the procedure only requires four to five holes to be made in the chest cavity for the robot arms to be inserted. The biggest hole is only 4cm.

The surgeon is then able to manipulate the arms via a console and carry out incision, sewing and tying.

With this new technique, patients suffer less complications, scarring and pain. They can also be discharged in about six days, compared to the usual nine days for conventional open heart surgery.