Himachal Launches Robotic Surgery at Atal Super Speciality Institute
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh is set to script a new chapter in its healthcare delivery on August 7 with the launch of its first-ever robotic surgery at Atal Super Speciality Medical Institute, Chamiyana.
This historic operation will be conducted by the Urology Department using the advanced 'Da Vinci XI' robotic system, marking a significant technological leap in the state's medical infrastructure.
Headed by Dr. Pamposh, Raina, and Dr. Anant Kumar's team will perform robotic-assisted prostate stone surgery, bringing the benefits of precision, reduced pain, minimal blood loss, and faster recovery to the patient. The first patient for this advanced procedure was admitted to the institute on Monday evening, news agency UNI reported.
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Dr. Raina said, “This system gives us multiple hands – we can now conduct more accurate surgeries with reduced complications. In traditional prostate surgery, there may be up to one liter of blood loss, but in robotic surgery, it's limited to just 50 ml.”
The Da Vinci robotic surgical system, widely acclaimed as one of the most sophisticated in the world, comprises three integrated components: the patient cart with four robotic arms (three equipped with micro-surgical instruments and one with an endoscopic camera), a 3D vision cart with 10x zoom capabilities, and a surgeon console that is joystick- and pedal-controlled.
Unlike conventional surgeries that may take up to eight hours, robotic procedures reduce operation time to just three hours and shorten post-operative hospital stays. Initially deployed for prostate and stone surgeries, this system is expected to revolutionize treatment in tumor, gynecological, and complex urological cases in the future.
A normal manual surgery at least drains about one litre of blood for the prostate, which could be reduced by 50 ml, Dr Raina stated.
Fulfilling a promise made by the Congress government, the commissioning of this cutting-edge surgical technique places Himachal Pradesh among the select few states integrating robotics into public healthcare, where trained doctors and advanced machines work together to enhance patient care.
With this advancement, the hill state takes a major stride toward future-ready medical services.
