Shin Yajima

National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Shin Yajima is a pioneering cardiac surgeon whose work focuses on advancing minimally invasive mitral valve repair, particularly through robotic-assisted techniques. His major contributions center on demonstrating that robotic mitral valve repair can be safely applied to complex lesions—such as rheumatic mitral stenosis and regurgitation—which were traditionally considered challenging for minimally invasive approaches. In his landmark 2020 study (27 citations), Yajima analyzed 335 patients over nine years, showing that robotic surgery could be extended to more complex valve pathologies compared to conventional thoracotomy. His early outcomes paper (12 citations) documented the first 100 robotic mitral valve repairs at his institution, establishing a reproducible safety and efficacy benchmark. Notably, his case report on rheumatic mitral disease (3 citations) highlights the potential of robotic repair in younger patients from developing countries, where minimizing prosthetic material is critical. Yajima’s work has helped expand the boundaries of robotic cardiac surgery, offering patients less invasive options without compromising repair quality. His research continues to influence surgical protocols and training for complex mitral valve interventions.