Indian healthcare sector set to reap advantages of robotic surgery and minimally invasive surgeries: Expert
Bengaluru, July 28, 2021
The Indian healthcare sector is set to reap the advantages of robotic surgery and minimally invasive surgeries. It looks to overcome the challenges of cost and technological complexity with economies of scale and extensive skilling of surgeons.
The healthcare sector has seen a massive upheaval in the last few months in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has become clear that innovation and research have paved the way for technological developments and the invention of new gadgets including medical robots.
Digital technology is changing the approach to healthcare to allow doctors provide their patients accurate diagnoses and improved treatment outcomes. With robotic equipment, it is possible to avoid the excessive handling of human tissue, improve the surgeon’s reach to the complex operative site that was otherwise inaccessible in open surgery, reduce the risk of infections and blood loss, which is more likely to occur in traditional surgery.
One such area that has benefitted greatly from the advent of robotic assisted surgery (RAS) is that of urological oncology, which refers to a specialty of medicine that deals with the cancers of the male and female urinary-tract system and the reproductive organs, stated Dr S K Raghunath, consultant – urologic oncologist and robotic surgeon, Aster RV Hospital.
From a patient’s perspective, robotic surgery is favoured for early recovery, reduced hospital stay, minimum blood loss and consequently lesser need for transfusion, minimal pain/discomfort and smaller scars that heal more quickly to resume normal activity.
Viewing robot-assisted urological oncology surgery as the pathway to precision, convenience and better outcomes, Dr Raghunath noted that that it offers improved precision with the use of 10 times magnifying three dimensional vision and with continuous innovation is evolving fast making it superior to conventional laparoscopic or open surgeries.
With the advent of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies incorporated into the robotic surgical device allows processing of patient data and capture precise surgical steps. Going forward, robotic systems could guide the surgeons to perform few complex steps to avoid or minimize complications. For instance, the da Vinci SP Single Port Robotic Surgical System by Intuitive is the latest introduction to robotic surgery for urological cancers. This would further reduce the trauma to patient with less wound complications, he said.
The introduction of robotic surgery has marked a new epoch in minimally invasive interventions in the last two decades. While there is still some skepticism around the efficacy of robotic surgery, past evidence and positive results show its potential in the coming years. Medical technology such as robotic surgery will provide results which might otherwise not be possible purely with human skill. However, human intelligence will always be the main force behind the use of technological equipment and it is not likely to be completely replaced. With robotics, surgical bots with enhanced intelligence and capabilities will enter the healthcare sphere, said Dr Raghunath. PharmaBiz