Top US surgeons to lead robotic surgeons' meet at Kochi

Eminent American and Indian surgeons specialising in 'Minimal Access Surgery' will converge in Kochi, Kerala next week (Sep 12 - 13) to share best practices in the emerging field of robotic surgery.

Robotic surgery assures a healthier post-operative life, causing minimal loss of blood, quicker healing of wounds and shorter hospital stays for those suffering from life threatening conditions in vital body systems.

Eminent robotic surgeons from America slated to speak at the conference include Dr. Mario leitao, Jr., Director, Minimal Access and Robotic Surgery Programme, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, and Dr. Mahendra Bhandari, a noted kidney transplant surgeon and Director, Robotic Surgery Research and Education at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, according to a media release.

Also attending would be Raj Vattikuti, a software entrepreneur from Michigan, who created the Vattikutti Foundation, a not-for profit Corporation headquartered in Michigan.

"Robotic surgery has a great value in cancer surgery as radical cancer surgery is possible through small holes and facilitates quick recovery of the patient," said Bhandari who also serves as the CEO, Vattikuti Foundation, that founded the Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital.

The Foundation has organized the Robotic Surgeons' Conference to propagate Robotic surgery in India.

From the first robotic cardiac surgery conducted by noted cardiologist Dr. Naresh Trehan in 2002 in India, application of Da Vinci systems in India has spread to over 25 hospitals in the country and the number of surgeons performing robotic surgeries has grown to 120.

The number of surgeries conducted in 2014 crossed 2500 mark taking the cumulative number of surgeries to date to an over 10,000.

The two-day Robotic Surgeons meet aims to encourage surgeons to widen their expertise in the field of robotic surgery

It will serve as a platform for about 100 surgeons engaged in robotic surgery in India to present their work, exchange views, and learn from each other.

Emerging areas that will come up for discussion include possibilities for ENT surgeons, difficulties faced during robotic surgery and prevention and management of complications in Robotics.