Robotics Surgery

Here’s the robotics age for all surgeries

Promises Precision, Quick Recovery, Few Scars

           

It’s the age of micro precision. To get accurate measurement and pinpoint a tumour or cancer, now there are the steadier hands of a robot. Robotics, which has been associated with cancer surgeries, is now being performed across the board for other benign conditions, because of faster recovery and minimal external scars. 
    Tanmay BV, 4, suffering from urine reflux (grade 5), was operated on July 8. By Monday, he was able to walk around. “His scars are like very tiny keyholes. He also seems to be much more active now. In case of an open surgery, he would have to spend at least 10 days in hospital, but since this is done through robotics, we could get him discharged on the third day,” said Vasudev B V, Tanmay’s father. 
    Tanmay’s condition needed much more accuracy than many other procedures. Usually, urine flows from the kidney to the bladder but due to a weakness in the valves in Tanmay’s case, the urine would often move back to the kidneys. “Urine reflux surgery can be complicated. With robotics, the accuracy is much higher and chances of bleeding low,” explained urologist, Manipal Hospital, Dr Deepak Dubey. 
    Manipal Hospital launched its robotic assisted surgery (RAS) on Monday. 
    “RAS was until now used to accurately provide radiation to a tumour. But with the new equipment, we can perform surgeries of various kinds. Senior surgeons of our hospital were trained in RAS for one to three weeks. A team from US also came down to train them,” said medical director, Manipal Health Enterprises, Dr H Sudarshan. 

CYBER KNIFE SURGERY Robotics is also widely being used in CyberKnife surgeries. CyberKnife uses image guidance, similar to cruise missile technology, to target tumours in the body with pinpoint accuracy and deliver high doses of radiation. 
    “We have done around 700 CyberKnife surgeries. It is a non-invasive procedure where the robotic arm and linear accelerator are connected. It helps us aim at the point without affecting healthy normal tissue. There are few chances of human error, it is painless and there is no need for anaesthesia. In many procedures, CyberKnife alone is not effective. We need surgery also. It has been popular in the US and Europe. We are doing research trials on RAS and cyber knife with Stanford University,” explained chairman and chief executive officer, Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG), Dr Ajai Kumar.
    HCG has also ordered for RAS equipment and set up normal tumour surgeries, other than radiation, he added. 

UP AND ABOUT 
• A patient undergoing robotic-assisted surgery leaves hospital two to five days earlier, as compared to patients who undergo traditional surgery, and return to normal activity 50% more quickly 

• RAS can reach where surgeons’ hands cannot and also allows 360 degree rotation, which is not humanly possible 

PRICE FACTOR 
• RAS procedure costs Rs 1 lakh more than any conventional surgery. Tanmay’s case of urine reflux cost Rs 1.5 lakh

SUPER SURGEON INTERVENES: Thanks to robotics surgery, 4-year-old Tanmay, suffering from urine reflux, is able to walk around