‘Robotic surgery has established itself in India’

Panaji, Nov 17 (IANS) Although the widespread use of computer assisted surgery began less than a decade ago in India, robotic surgery has already established itself in the country, says an expert.

With over 50 surgical robots and a pool of over 300 trained robotic surgeons in India, an estimated 700 robotic surgeries a month are conducted in the country.

These surgeries range from removal of cancerous tissues to reconstruction of organs damaged by cancer as well as the removal of organs such as the kidney, liver, pancreas, thyroid, prostate, and uterus.

"Even though India was a late entrant in adoption of computer assisted surgery, first introduced in the US at the beginning of this millennium, multi-disciplinary robotic surgery has established its value in India with superior patient outcomes and efficacy," said Mahendra Bhandari, CEO of US-based non-profit Vattikuti Foundation which is organising a meeting of robotic surgery experts in Goa this week.

"Many Indian surgeons have developed new techniques to handle complex procedures which have now become standards of care in several advanced countries in the world," Bhandari, who is also Director, Robotic Research and Education of Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, US, said in a statement.

During the two-day bi-annual "Robotic Surgeons Council" meet starting Saturday, eminent US robotic surgeons will share their expertise in their specialty with over 250 robotic surgeons, according to the organisers.

Robotic surgery is generally positioned a step ahead of traditional minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery in complete removal of the cancerous tumours while saving the healthy surrounding tissue and minimising chances of its recurrence.

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