A 40-year-old male patient from Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district successfully underwent robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass surgery at Guru Hospital in Madurai.
After blockages were detected in the patient's coronary arteries, doctors recommended bypass surgery. Using the advanced MEDBOT robotic surgical system, the LIMA (Left Internal Mammary Artery) was precisely harvested and prepared, following which the bypass procedure was performed through a small chest incision.
First in India
Guru Hospital stated that this was the first time in India that the LIMA blood vessel had been robotically harvested and prepared using the MEDBOT Robotic Surgical System for a coronary artery bypass procedure. The procedure is also significant as it represents the use of robotic-assisted technology for cardiac bypass surgery in southern Tamil Nadu.
Senior cardiac surgeon at Guru Hospital, Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, MS, MCh, said:
“Successfully harvesting and preparing the LIMA with robotic assistance marks the first step in our journey towards using robotic technology in cardiac surgery. For selected patients, this technology enables surgery through smaller incisions, avoiding the need for a full opening of the breastbone.
“We plan to extend the use of robotic technology to selected cardiac procedures, including heart valve surgeries and atrial septal defect (ASD) closure, as well as surgeries for lung and chest-wall tumours and cancers,” he said.