Methodist Hospitals Performs NWI’s First Robotic-Assisted MIDCAB Surgery 

Thanks to the addition of cardiac surgeon Dr. Hiroto Kitahara, the Methodist Hospitals Heart & Vascular Institute surgery team completed its first-ever robotic-assisted cardiac surgery on November 6, 2025, and its first-ever minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) surgery several days later on November 13, 2025. Methodist Hospitals is the first hospital in Northwest Indiana to offer robotic-assisted cardiac surgery and MIDCAB, eliminating the need for patients to travel to Chicago and beyond for this procedure.

Robotic-assisted MIDCAB surgery can be an option for some patients who have been told they require traditional open-heart surgery. Dr. Kitahara is able to treat single-vessel and multi-vessel disease with this technology. Unlike other heart surgeries, MIDCAB surgeries do not crack the breast bone to access the heart but instead use just a 3 to 3 1/2 inch incision between the ribs. This minimally invasive procedure can address multiple vessel blockages and grants patients less pain and a shorter recovery time, with around three days spent in the hospital for recovery as opposed to the standard 7 to 11-day hospital stay for an open heart procedure.

“We don’t open the chest, which means that the hospital stay is shortened to two to three days. With minimally invasive surgeries, like MIDCAB, there are no restrictions. Patients can go home and feel fine: they can drive, and they can lift things,” Kitahara said. “One patient said that one day after surgery, he had pain, but after two days, it was gone. He didn’t need any pain medication, which is typically needed after open-heart surgery.”

Thanks to Methodist Hospital’s robotic-assisted surgery program, the hospital has many team members who are very experienced in robotic-assisted procedures.

“We’re very excited to have Dr. Kitahara here with the skills and expertise to perform a first in Northwest Indiana,” said Executive Director of Surgical Services, Kim Serrano. “We’ve built a strong robotic surgery program here at Methodist, performing close to 380 robotic procedures last year. That experience means our surgeons and operating room teams are very comfortable working with this technology. This prepared us to bring the new minimally invasive heart surgery to Northwest Indiana.”

Prior to working at Methodist Hospitals, Kitahara graduated from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, where he was born and raised. After eight years spent as a trainee, he moved to the United States in 2016 to study heart transplants at the University of Chicago. A few years later, he accepted a job in Washington D.C., where he performed numerous heart transplants. 

At the invitation of world-renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. Husam H. Balkhy, Kitahara returned to the University of Chicago to learn more about the role of robotics in cardiac surgery. Kitahara was previously interested in robotics when he was a fellow at the university and even published a paper on it, and this invitation from Dr. Balkhy solidified his interest and ultimate specialization in robotic-assisted cardiac surgery.

“Heart transplants are still important, but I think five to 10 years in the future, robotics is going to be a standard for patient care. So surgeons need the skills to treat a patient in a minimally invasive way. I think if we only do standard surgeries, the number of patients coming to us in five years will decrease. I believed I needed to get this robotic skill to provide the best care for the patient.”

After his return to the University of Chicago, Kitahara worked as a clinical associate for two years and became an assistant professor last year. Dr. Kitahara’s extensive cardiovascular surgery training at prestigious medical centers elevates NWI’s residents’ access to expert-level heart care at Methodist Hospitals.

“I want people to know what we are doing here right now and that the outcomes are good. I like the robotic approach because it is less invasive, has a minimal incision, is less painful, has fewer complications, and has a good long-term outcome,” Kitahara said.

To learn more about Dr. Kitahara and robotic cardiac surgery at Methodist Hospitals, visit methodisthospitals.org. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Kitahara, call (219) 644-3957.