New Delhi’s premier medical institution, AIIMS, has marked a significant milestone in surgical innovation. Over the past 13 months, the hospital’s surgical department has successfully completed more than 1,000 robotic surgeries, a feat announced on Tuesday. This rapid adoption underscores AIIMS’s commitment to cutting-edge healthcare accessible to all.
The robotic surgery program kicked off just over a year ago, specifically designed to tackle complex surgical challenges that demand precision and minimal invasiveness. From intricate procedures like pancreaticoduodenectomy and gastrectomy to esophagectomy, colectomy, and anterior resections for gastrointestinal malignancies, the latest surgical robot has proven versatile. It has also facilitated kidney transplantations and minimally invasive resections of endocrine tumors, including those in the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas, covering a broad spectrum of hepato-biliary interventions.
While private hospitals in metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai have embraced robotics in urology and gynecology over the last decade, public sector adoption, especially in general surgery, has lagged. AIIMS is bridging this gap, ensuring that patients from diverse socio-economic backgrounds benefit from this advanced technology without the prohibitive costs often associated with private care.
Professor Sunil Chumber, Head of the Surgical Department, emphasized AIIMS’s role as an academic powerhouse. With over 100 surgical residents in training, the robotic system’s integration provides them hands-on experience with state-of-the-art tools during their residency. ‘This elevates our training curriculum to match the world’s top medical institutes,’ he stated. The benefits are clear: reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and faster patient recovery.
Dr. Mohit Joshi, Additional Professor in the department, shared with media that AIIMS, as India’s leading institute, always pioneers new technologies. ‘Our experience has been outstanding, with nearly all surgeons trained and actively performing these procedures in a dedicated robotic operating theater,’ he noted. This milestone not only enhances patient outcomes but also positions AIIMS as a global leader in public healthcare innovation.