37 km in 16 minutes: Mid-surgery tissue sample transported via drone for pathological testing

New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday announced the successful transportation of a tissue sample via drone from a peripheral hospital to a tertiary setting for advanced pathological testing.

This innovative approach aims to expedite the determination of whether the resected tissue is cancerous, potentially revolutionizing surgical decision-making.

According to ICMR, the approach reduces the time of transporting the tissue sample from 60 minutes to 16 minutes which can enable faster decisions during surgery.

According to ANI report, "Next milestone achieved in healthcare delivery via drone! Tissue sample transported mid-surgery from a peripheral hospital for Advanced pathological testing at the tertiary setting for deciding if the resected tissue is cancerous or not," ICMR posted on social media platform X. 

The drone carried Onco-pathological samples from Dr TMA PAI Rotary Hospital, Karkala to Kasturba Medical College, MAHE, Manipal.

Notably, the demonstration as part of a path-breaking validation study has been undertaken for the first time in the country by the collaborative efforts of ICMR, Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal and Dr TMA PAI Rotary Hospital, Karkala, the ICMR statement read.

During its flight, the drone efficiently conveyed intraoperative surgical biospecimens, and excised laparoscopically from a patient undergoing an appendectomy, within a duration of 45 minutes. Upon arrival at Kasturba Medical College, the sample was promptly analyzed, and the report was electronically transmitted back to the peripheral hospital. This real-time reporting enabled surgeons to make informed decisions during the ongoing surgical procedure.

"The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been a pioneer in using drones for healthcare purposes and successfully conducted the delivery of medical supplies, vaccines, and medicines in remote areas of Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland, blood bag delivery in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) under its i-DRONE initiative," the statement added.

Highlighting the significance of the event, Rajiv Bahl, the Secretary of the Department of Health Research (DHR) and Director General, ICMR emphasized that the 'i-DRONE' initiative was initially utilized during the Covid-19 pandemic by ICMR for distributing vaccines to inaccessible areas.

Professor Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), said that the study holds significant relevance for the Indian context as it can serve effectively in challenging geographical terrains, benefiting the Indian population, while also bolstering India's healthcare infrastructure", news agency ANI reported.

Following the demonstration, Dr Sumit Aggarwal, scientist and program officer, Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, ICMR, told ANI, "Expanding avenues for accessible and cost-effective healthcare delivery in peripheral hospitals, while pioneering insights for future organ transportation via drones. Leveraging rapid pathological reporting, reducing turnaround time from 100 to 45 minutes by road transport. Samples sent during surgery, enabling real-time reporting to surgeons, enhancing patient care."