Health City Cayman Islands Hospital has successfully performed its first robot-assisted cardiac surgeries, marking a major advance in cardiac care for the Cayman Islands and the entire Caribbean region.

These innovative procedures were performed by Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil, chief of cardiac surgery and clinical director at Health City, according to a press release from the organization.

This achievement places the Cayman Islands among a select group of global centers capable of performing fully robotic cardiac surgeries.

The launch of this innovative program follows an intensive training phase and a clinical partnership with Emory Saint Joseph Hospital, recognized as one of the world’s leading centers for robotic cardiac surgery. During this period, the Health City surgical team received mentorship from Dr. Douglas Murphy, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Emory Saint Joseph Hospital. Dr. Murphy is globally recognized as a pioneer in this field, having performed more than 4,000 robotic mitral valve procedures.

Although Dr. Murphy continues to provide expert supervision as a mentor, the surgical procedures are performed by Dr. Binoy and Health City’s specialized cardiology team. According to Health City, this collaboration provides residents of the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean with local access to state-of-the-art minimally invasive cardiac procedures, sparing them long trips abroad.

Robotic heart surgery involves performing surgery through small incisions using state-of-the-art robotic instruments, which reduces trauma to the body and speeds up recovery compared to traditional open-heart surgery.

«One of the biggest advantages of robotic heart surgery is how quickly patients recover compared to traditional open-heart procedures,» Dr. Murphy explained. «In our program at Emory, most patients are discharged from the hospital within 48 hours, and many resume their normal daily activities within three weeks, compared to two to three months for conventional heart surgery.»

He also emphasized the safety benefits, stating: «Robotic mitral valve repair also carries a very low risk of stroke—often less than 0.5 %, compared to 2 to 3 % for traditional open surgery— and mortality rates remain well below 0.5 % in high-volume robotic centers. These results demonstrate the reduced trauma and increased surgical precision offered by robotic technology.»

Dr. Binoy expressed his pride in this achievement, highlighting its importance for the region: «The ability to perform these surgical procedures here in the Cayman Islands represents a major turning point. Patients no longer need to travel abroad for complex cardiac procedures, which can now be safely performed using robotic technology right here on the island. The reduction in recovery time, the lower complication rate, and the overall improvement in the patient experience are exceptional. We are proud to offer this level of care in the Cayman Islands.»

Health City’s robotic cardiac surgery program plans to expand its services, including procedures such as heart valve repair and replacement, removal of intracardiac tumors, and other robotic procedures as the program develops. This approach aims to reduce hospital stays, speed up recovery, and improve clinical outcomes, all within the local healthcare system.

According to the press release, «This development strengthens Health City Cayman Islands» position as a center of excellence for advanced cardiac care, bolsters the capabilities of the national health system, and positions the Cayman Islands as a leader in robotic surgery in the Caribbean.”

According to the National Library of Medicine, the first known cardiac surgery centers in the Caribbean were established in Cuba in 1951.