JJ Hospital Grant medical college to soon get robotic operating system

Mumbai: Maharashtra's premier healthcare centre and the country's second oldest medical institution, Grant Government Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, is among the very first government medical hospitals in the state which is planning to acquire a robotic surgical system by next year. 

The hospital administration is reported to have submitted a proposal to the district planning committee regarding the same. The proposal was submitted based on the recommendation by city guardian minister Deepak Kesarkar.

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The robotic surgical system would help in performing complex surgeries with ease and accuracy. Worth around Rs 20 crore, the system would carry out surgeries with precision. 

The measure is part of the government-run hospitals to provide better healthcare facilities to those in need. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation recently announced that they are planning to install the robotic operating system at KEM Hospital in Parel, Sion Hospital and BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central. None of the government hospitals in Maharashtra has this system. 

Speaking about this new plan, Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Government Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals said, "The robotic operative system can perform complex surgeries with ease. The doctors will be trained to operate the system through a console. This will be beneficial and time-saving for both patients and doctors." 

Speaking to HT, a doctor said, "Robotic surgery is recommended for cancer of the chest, lungs, respiratory tract, small and large intestine, kidney, gallbladder, pancreas, food pipe, stomach, tumour, and prostate cancer. Apart from this, robotic surgery is also used in bariatric surgery to reduce obesity. Overall, robotic surgery is performed for a range of causes from general surgery to cancer." 

In the robotic surgical system, a surgeon uses a special console to overlook the whole surgical process while using the technology. A senior surgeon at JJ Hospital told the Midday, "A tiny 3D camera and dime-sized surgical instruments are placed inside the patient through tiny incisions. This camera gives the surgeon a 360-degree view, making it easier for them to perform the surgery. After this, the doctor guides the robotic arms according to the view shown by the 3D camera. Other surgeons are at the operating table to confirm the correct placement of the surgical instruments." 

Another surgeon from the hospital said, "The major advantage of robotic surgery is that it is very precise. A doctor’s hands may tremble once after hours of surgery but not a robot’s. In robotic surgery, a much smaller cut is made as compared to other surgeries. Due to this, there is less bleeding and pain and the recovery is quick. Due to the 3D camera, a better view is afforded to surgeons and the robotic arm can easily reach every part of the body. It is time-saving for both patients and doctors." 

Currently, the robotic surgical system is available at one private medical hospital in Mumbai which costs around Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 lakh above the base price. In this system, the doctors would have more flexibility and control, and a number of studies have shown that it results in fewer complications, less blood loss, and early recovery. 

Meanwhile, the hospital has also sent proposals regarding other infrastructural setups. Dr Saple said, "We have two cath labs, out of which one is outdated, so it will be replaced with a new one by next month and the other one also will be similarly replaced. We have sent a proposal in this regard to the collector. Apart from that, our CT scan and MRI machines are also old. So we have sent a proposal for newer ones." 

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