Shillong, September 6: Robotic surgery is witnessing significant growth in the Indian healthcare sector, with multiple vendors offering various surgical robots, an increasing number of trained doctors, and commitments to invest in surgical robots by both government and corporate hospitals across the country, according to Dr. Mahendra Bhandari, CEO of the US-based Vattikuti Foundation and a robotic surgery advocate.
As per IANS, nearly two decades after Escorts Heart Institute (now Fortis Escorts Heart Institute) in Delhi introduced robotic assistance for complex heart surgeries, robotic surgery has expanded its presence significantly and shows promise for rapid growth.
Surgical robots are now being applied to various medical specialties, including joint replacement and heart conditions such as coronary artery bypass grafting.
Over the last 15 years, an estimated 110,000 robot-assisted surgeries have been performed in India.
The introduction of joint replacement robot Mako in 2017 at Amrita Hospital in Kochi has led to 20 installations across the country, with over 80 experienced orthopedic surgeons trained and certified to perform joint replacement surgeries.
Large hospital chains like Max Hospital in Saket, New Delhi, and Apollo Indraprastha Hospital in Delhi have adopted the Mako robot for over 10,000 joint replacement procedures in India.
Dr. Bhandari highlighted the Vattikuti Foundation’s efforts in training a large pool of surgeons over the past decade, ensuring that each of the 100-plus hospitals performing robotic surgeries in India has a surgeon, mentor, or Vattikuti Fellow trained by the Foundation.
Globally, the surgical robot market is projected to reach $30.7 billion by 2030, according to data analytics firm GlobalData.
Dr. Bhandari addressed concerns about the high cost of robotic surgeries in India, stating that the availability of robots from several manufacturers will likely drive down surgical costs.
He also noted the opening of a new training facility at AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), which will provide robotic surgery skills to hundreds of surgeons, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing costs.
Shorter hospital stays resulting from robotic surgery are expected to increase accessibility to high-quality medical care and reduce healthcare costs.
The Vattikuti Foundation has trained over 500 super-specialist surgeons from various specialties to become accomplished robotic surgeons in India over the past decade.
Several state governments, including Telangana, have shown commitment to promoting robotic technology in healthcare.
Furthermore, major health insurers are increasingly reimbursing additional expenses for robotic surgery in India, as it is believed to yield better outcomes and shorter hospital stays, contributing to the growth of this surgical approach in the country.
As robot-assisted surgeries continue to gain traction in the Indian healthcare industry, the Vattikuti Foundation has announced its 2023 Fellowship program for surgeons with super-specialist qualifications in the country, focusing on surgical oncology, minimally invasive and robotic gynecologic surgery, and various aspects of urologic robotic oncology.