robotic cardiac surgeries: Apollo hospital unit claims completion of 100 robotic cardiac surgeries

The Bangalore unit of a leading private healthcare group has completed 100 robotic cardiac surgeries, which it claimed was a “first” such achievement for any hospital in the country. In a statement, the group on Monday said doctors at its Bangalore hospital had also performed a complex mitral valve cardiac surgery using robotic-assisted minimally invasive “da Vinci robotic system in under 70 minutes, a landmark achievement in interventional cardiology”.

“Cardiovascular diseases tend to affect patients in the most productive years of their lives resulting in catastrophic social and economic consequences.

“The establishment of a robot-assisted cardiac surgery programme requires a tremendous amount of dedication and preparation, and we are proud to be India’s first hospital to complete 100 robotic cardiac surgeries since the program’s inception in late 2019,” claimed Sathyaki Nambala, senior consultant, cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, at the hospital.

Nambala, also head of the robotic cardiac surgery unit at Apollo hospital, Bangalore, said, in comparison to traditional open-heart surgery, which involves opening up the chest by splitting the breastbone, the da Vinci Xi’s innovative technology allows for complex cardiovascular surgeries to be performed through smaller incisions and precise motion control.

“Robotic cardiac surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that helps patients return to their everyday life much faster than open-heart surgeries.

“Surgeons use the da Vinci surgical system to operate through 8 mm holes called ports and a magnified 3D high-definition vision as well as tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate much more than the human hand aid in surgery,” the statement said.

Reducing the chance of infection makes it an ideal procedure for people with diabetes and older patients, hospital authorities said.

Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Group of Hospitals said, “The da Vinci surgical system has assisted us in providing the best possible surgical outcomes, and the completion of more than 100 successful robotic cardiac surgeries attests to our commitment to providing the most recent and highest quality of care”.