Anjana, a 42-year-old working woman, was diagnosed with a tumor in her left kidney and was advised by doctors to have it removed. Since she wanted to preserve her kidney and at the same time get rid of the tumor, she underwent a procedure called robot-assisted Partial Nephrectomy (kidney preserving surgery), wherein only the tumor was excised, leaving her kidney intact. She stayed in the hospital for only three days and was able to return to her job within two weeks.
Till recently, the treatment of such tumors involved removal of the kidney along with the tumor. Not anymore, thanks to robot-assisted surgeries that has made organ preservation possible while removing tumors. Surgeries like these have not only cured thousands of patients, but also helped boost Bangalore’s image as a leading medical tourism destination in the country.
Patients flock to the city from across the world, including Middle East, Africa, Australia, The Netherlands, Denmark, Russia and Sri Lanka. Today, robotic-radiation which was introduced three years ago in the city, contributes to around 20% of the city’s medical tourists. Adding a boost to the trend, is the robotic surgery which was introduced a year ago.
The potential of this innovation is not limited to urology alone. Most gynaecological surgeries can be done assisted by robotics. Over the year, Manipal Hospital has received inquiries on robotic surgery from patients hailing from Africa, Maldives and Sri Lanka. “The robot can be used in removal of fibroids, removal of uterus, hysterectomy, recanalisation of fallopian tubes in patients with blocked tubes or when sterilisation is to be reversed, endometriosis surgery and surgery for cervical and uterine cancers,” said Dr Gayathri Karthik, consultant gynaecologist at Manipal Hospital. She feels that the progress in this field has boosted the city’s image as a sought after medical destination.
Take the case of Caroline (name changed) from Nigeria, who recently underwent a uterine surgery in the city, after being diagnosed with fibroids. She was advised removal of her uterus. However, she was not comfortable with the idea as she wanted to have another baby. She had heard of robotic surgery and decided to make a trip to Bangalore to undergo the same. She underwent a robot assisted myomectomy performed by Dr Karthik, where two fibroids were removed. She recovered well and left for Africa in ten days.
Radiation with the help of robots (also called Cyberknife) is another specialisation, that has gained popularity among both Indian and foreign patients over the last couple of years. According to Dr Sridhar P S, consulting radiation oncologist at Healthcare Global (HCG), robotic surgery is the future and the country so far has done well to gain expertise in this. “Earlier, we faced the problem where we did not achieve accurate radiation. So, if there is a tumor in the lungs, radiation would affect the surrounding areas.
However, with the help of robotic radiation, there is little damage done to the surrounding areas,” he said. Robotic radiation also helps in reaching areas where it is not possible to operate by the surgeon’s hands, he added. Hence, robotic surgery is increasingly becoming an alternative to normal surgery. More so in cases of pancratic tumors, where prostate and lungs is involved. HCG alone has treated over 1000 patients in the last three and a half years.
Going by the demand of robotic surgery, other city based hospitals are also planning to procure this advanced technology. For instance, BGS Global Hospitals plans to introduce the technology in their hospital shortly. “The technology of robotic surgery is advancing and soon we are likely to have second generation robotic equipment”, said Dr N K Venkataramana, vice-chairman and chief neurosurgeon of BGS Global Hospitals. “Surgeons are increasingly resorting to minimally invasive surgeries wherever possible. The advantages of this technology are minimal damage to tissue and less invasiveness, lesser hospital stay, speedy ambulation of patient, less pain and cosmetically aesthetic with a smaller scar.
Robotics will definitely help to achieve these goals with much more precision,” he said.
source: http://www.dnaindia.com / Daily News & Analysis / Home> Bangalore> Report / by Soumita Majumdar & Suparna Goswami Bhattarcharya / Place: Bangalore, Agency: DNA / December 14th, 2012
