As cancer spreads relentlessly across India, with 15 lakh new cancer cases every year according to the National Cancer Registry, computer-assisted surgery will help in fighting it aggressively and effectively.

Robotic Surgeries, where a robot assists the surgeon, scores over conventional surgery by minimising blood loss, dramatically reducing post-operative recovery time, and bringing precision in executing the procedure, thus saving healthy tissue from damage.

With multi-disciplinary robotic surgery proving its efficacy in India in the last 7 years, a few sessions by trained robotic gynaecologists will highlight how computer-assisted surgeries are able to vanquish various forms of cancers, particularly in the medical disciplines of Gynaecology.

Gynaecologists in India are now increasingly using robotic surgery for ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and endometrial cancer. In addition it is used for groin node dissection for cancer of the vulva.

“A 3-dimensional high definition vision system and 10 times magnification gives the surgeons to work with tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human hand enabling superior outcomes, quick recovery and much shorter hospital stays,” says Gopal Chakravarthy, CEO, Vattikuti Technologies.

A da Vinci surgical robot brings in human wrist-like movement with its instruments and offers a 10 times enlarged 3-dimensional view. And that is exactly what a tour of a da Vinci surgical robot across India will demonstrate. Surgeons in the State capital will get a first-hand look at how a surgical robot works and understand the situations in which its benefits unfold.

Dr. SP Somashekhar, Consultant Surgical, Gynec-Onco & Robotic Surgeon, Manipal  Hospitals, Bengaluru will perform a live Gynaecology procedure and will subsequently lead a discussion on 'da Vinci Robotic Surgery in Gynaecology.

“Robotic surgeries are used in both benign and malignant gynaecological conditions. It is especially useful ín difficult surgeries that requires great precision and expertise,” says Dr Sabhyata Gupta, Director Gynaecology of Medanta The Medicity.

According to Dr Gupta, robotic surgery is being used in procedures such as myomectomy (surgical removal of fibroids), difficult hysterectomies (removal of uterus), clearance of endometriosis (a painful tissue disorder of the uterus) and repair of the vesico vaginal fistula (an abnormal opening), which are all benign conditions.

“Robotic Surgery’s biggest benefit in cancer surgeries is better patient outcomes. Patients undergoing robotic surgery also report reduced pain and faster return to normal functions thus causing minimal disruption in a woman’s day to day activities,” said Dr Rooma Sinha, Gynaecologist, Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeon, Urogynaecologist, at Apollo Health City in Hyderabad.

Robotic surgery is minimally invasive, and has a much greater precision which make it a preferred surgical technique in early stage gynaecological cases like endometrial, cervical and ovarian cancers. It facilitates quick recovery, minimal blood loss, and almost no blood transfusion.

“In my experience, it leads to better results even among patients with co-morbidities like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. We are able to avoid complications caused by long incisions associated with open surgery such as wound infection, hernias, and cut hospital stays down to 1 - 1½ days in most cases”, says Dr Rama Joshi, Gynae Oncologist & Robotic Surgeon at New Delhi NCR.

While breast cancer and cervical cancer are the two most prevalent forms of female cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer are claiming a lot of lives as well. It is estimated that one in two women diagnosed with breast cancer in India dies early, while every 8 minutes one woman dies of cervical cancer. Just imagine, in 2016, nearly 70,000 Indians died of cervical cancer – the second most common cancer among women, accounting for 23 per cent of all cases. Breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Registry, is the most common cancer in women in India, with 27 per cent of all cases.

However, with the advent of robotic surgery, there are stories of hope now emerging in women’s fight against cancer.

Vattikuti Technologies, Vattikuti Foundation and Intuitive Surgical Inc. have an ambitious plan to spread the use of Robotic surgery in India. Vattikuti Technologies has partnered with scores of hospitals in India since 2011 in drawing a roadmap for success of the robotic program as well as supporting training of surgeons. So far, the number of da Vinci Surgical robots in India stands at nearly 60 installations, manned by 360 trained robotic surgeons in 20 cities.

To address the scarcity of trained surgeons and the cost of computer assisted procedures and equipment Vattikuti Technologies and Intuitive Surgical Inc. USA and Vattikuti Foundation is showcase the technology by mounting the surgical robot on a mobile vehicle to simulate an operation theatre setting as it educates doctors and surgeons about the benefits.

Vattikuti Technologies and Surgical Robot makers Intuitive Surgical Inc., USA will offer hospitals the da Vinci Robot along with instruments required for the next three years at a special price point.

“The 4-armed Roving Robot will help surgeons in smaller towns experience the capabilities of a da Vinci Surgical Robot in removing affected tissue while retaining healthy tissue,” adds Chakravarthy.

The da Vinci surgical system enables surgeons to operate minimally invasively through a few small incisions while controlling the robotic instruments from a nearby console. It allows surgeons to operate with enhanced vision and precision.