Elena Sandoval
Papers
11
Total Citations
63
H-Index
4
About
Elena Sandoval is a pioneering cardiac surgeon whose research centers on advancing robotic-assisted heart surgery, with a particular focus on mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement. Her major contributions include defining the learning curve for robotic mitral repair through a prospective two-center study (12 citations), demonstrating that prior minimally invasive experience facilitates skill acquisition. She has also led groundbreaking work in simulation-based assessment, validating wet lab models for robotic cardiac skills training in an international multicenter trial (11 citations), and has developed a totally-thoracoscopic closed-chest technique for mitral prolapse repair that eliminates the need for minithoracotomy. Sandoval’s impact is evident across her highly cited publications, including a comprehensive state-of-the-art review on robotic mitral surgery (18 citations). Notably, she has pioneered robotic aortic valve replacement using a lateral approach with the Intuity bioprosthesis, and her work establishing Spain’s first robotic aortic valve program opens new opportunities for European cardiac surgery. Her research directly addresses the critical challenges of training, proficiency, and procedural innovation, making her a leading voice in the evolution of minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Current state of the art and recommendations in robotic mitral valve surgery18 citations · 2022
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- 10Implementation and clinical impact of a robotic heart surgery program2 citations · 2023