(Vienna, 09 April 2026) In March 2026, for the first time in Austria, a minimally invasive procedure to treat a potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia was performed at the Division of Cardiology of the Department of Medicine II, in collaboration with the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery at University Hospital Vienna (AKH) and MedUni Vienna. The procedure represents a significant advance in the treatment of complex cardiac arrhythmias and opens up new prospects for patients with conditions that have previously been difficult to treat: areas of the heart that cannot be adequately treated with conventional catheter ablation can be reached using this innovative technique and are thus treatable. The operation can be performed using a minimally invasive approach that is particularly gentle and effective for patients.
The innovative method combines two highly specialised procedures: minimally invasive thoracoscopy with catheter-based electrophysiological ablation. A camera was inserted through small incisions between the ribs, providing direct access to the heart’s surface (thoracoscopy). This procedure allowed the outer layer of the heart to be treated directly. At the same time, precise ablation was performed inside the heart using catheter technology, involving the targeted destruction of diseased heart tissue that triggers the arrhythmias. Compared to surgical procedures involving opening the chest, this approach is particularly gentle and opens up new treatment options for patients with ventricular tachycardia, a potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia in which the heart beats too rapidly from the ventricles. If left untreated, this can lead to circulatory failure or sudden cardiac death.
“This hybrid procedure is a milestone in treatment, particularly for patients in whom conventional catheter ablations have not been sufficiently effective. Heart regions previously inaccessible can now be treated gently and effectively,” notes Stefan Stojković from the Division of Cardiology at the Department of Medicine II, who performed the procedure together with Emilio Osorio from the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery, in close scientific collaboration with Bart Maesen from Maastricht University.
Modern cardiac medicine benefits from the close integration of cardiac surgery and cardiology at University Hospital Vienna and MedUni Vienna. “The successful completion of the procedure demonstrates how important interdisciplinary collaboration is for the future of cardiac medicine and for our patients,” emphasise Daniel Zimpfer, Head of the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery, and Christian Hengstenberg, Head of the Department of Medicine II.