IMS and SUM Hospital introduces fully automated robotic surgery for total knee replacement

Bhubaneswar: Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medicine of Siksha Anusandhan (SOA)  has started conducting Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery by employing a fully automated robot. 

IMS and SUM Hospital is the first medical college in the country to adopt fully automated robotic surgery for total knee replacement.

The aim is to develop the hospital as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) where Orthopaedic surgeons from other hospitals could be trained.

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The robot has been working meticulously without any error and "we have already conducted more than 40 such surgeries within the last six weeks", Prof Aniruddh Dash, Head of Department of Orthopaedics in the hospital, said.

Speaking at a program marking the formal launch of the apparatus, said to be the world’s first fully automatic Active CUVIS Robotic System on Friday, Prof.Dash said the new device was ensuring better precision and accuracy in surgery with several other advantages.

It requires smaller incision, allows greater flexibility and reduces risk of infection, he said, adding IMS and SUM Hospital had become the first hospital in Odisha to have a fully automated robotic system for such surgeries.

Congratulating IMS and SUM Hospital for being the first hospital in the state to adopt the advanced technology, Director, Medical Education and Training of Odisha government ,Dr Sachidananda Mohanty said it was important to train faculties from other hospitals to use the device for the benefit of the people.

SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda said such technology would greatly aid complex surgeries as the world was entering a new era.

Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Mahapatra, a renowned neuro surgeon of the country, said he was initially sceptical about robots when the technology was sought to be introduced years ago.

But using technology was the need of the hour, he said, adding “we have to ensure that the equipment is properly utilized”.

Medical Superintendent of the hospital Prof. Pusparaj Samantasinhar said the hospital would be acquiring a mother robot which would help conduct other surgeries with precision and accuracy.