Robotic Surgery - Less Painful with better results
Doctors of Chettinad Health City performed heart surgery on two patients utilising robotic assistance. Unlike a traditional heart surgery that requires an incision of about 20 cm, the robotic-assisted surgery would need only 4-5 cm.

Director of Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Robotic Surgery Centre, R. Ravikumar said, “This is possible as the arm of the robot used for the surgery is smaller in volume than the human fist.”

While the incision for the traditional surgery would be in the chest, cutting through the breast bone, the minimal incision for the robotic-assisted surgery would be in the ribs. This would not only reduce pain, but also lessen blood loss, tissue damage and post-surgery scars, Dr. Ravi Kumar said.

Patients can return to routine life in two weeks compared to the two months of recovery period required for the traditional surgery.

Y. Subramaniam from Andhra Pradesh who underwent a trial septal defect (hole in the heart) surgery, said “I came across the information about robotic-assisted surgery on the Internet and sought doctors’ advice in Andhra. I used to avoid climbing stairs as it would tire me. Now, I am feeling much better.”

Robotic-assisted mitral valve replacement surgery was performed on T. Ramesh from Mehboob Nagar, Andhra Pradesh, on December 20. “My doctors in Andhra referred me here for treatment. I was able to walk around in 3 days after the surgery.”