Robotic surgery for cancer, other ailments to be launched at SMS Hospital soon 

JAIPUR: Sawai Mansingh Hospital (SMS), Jaipur’s largest government hospital, is set to become high-tech with the implementation of robot-assisted surgeries. The facility will offer free cancer and hernia surgeries through the Chiranjeevi scheme. Two robots, each worth Rs 25 crore, will arrive in the next one to two weeks. This marks the first time a government hospital in Rajasthan will have such a facility.

Both robots will be located in the Urology and General Surgery departments of SMS Hospital. Currently, robotic surgery is offered in selected private hospitals in Rajasthan and in cities such as Delhi, Gurgaon, and Mumbai. It is mainly used for minor procedures and is considered a superior approach for cancer, urological-prostate, and general surgery.

According to Dr. Jeevan Kankaria, Professor of General Surgery at SMS Medical College, robotic surgery is the superior technology for daycare procedures. The machine performs major surgeries with minimal incisions, reducing patient pain and blood loss, and leading to a faster recovery compared to traditional surgical methods.

According to Dr. Rajeev Bagrahatta, the Principal of Jaipur SMS Medical College, the machines are expected to arrive in Jaipur within the next seven days. The installation will take another week, followed by a three-week training program for doctors to learn how to use the machine on simulators.

Dr. Bagrahatta stated that once the machine is installed and doctors are trained, they will be sent to hospitals in other states for practical experience. The live sessions will give them the opportunity to observe how the machines are operated. Upon completion of the process, they anticipate starting patient surgeries using robots by mid-April.

Dr. Bagrahatta said that the rates for laparoscopic surgery are currently covered under the Chiranjeevi scheme and the same will be applied for robotic surgery, allowing patients to receive free treatment for their illnesses.

Dr. Jeevan Kankaria stated that the application of robotic surgery would be beneficial in various other surgical procedures such as cancer tumour surgery, colorectal surgery, bariatric surgery, hernia, and eclampsia cardia. The implementation of robotic surgery will simplify these procedures, making them more efficient and faster. He explained that if the doctors master performing this surgery, the results will surpass those of laparoscopy surgery and traditional hand surgery.