Dr. Arun Kumar U
Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeon, KG Hospital, Coimbatore.
KG Hospital, one of the leading multispecialty hospitals in Coimbatore, performed India's first-ever robotic-assisted suture-less aortic valve replacement surgery recently.
This robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), performed using advanced Da Vinci technology on a 74-year-old male patient diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis, was led by Dr. Arun Kumar, a renowned cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon at KG Hospital.
The patient was diagnosed with severe aortic valve stenosis (thickening and narrowing of the valve between the heart's main pumping chambers) two years before the surgery. As symptoms progressed and heavy calcification set in, he had to undergo this rare robotic-assisted surgery. He was brought in with symptoms including palpitations and exertional breathlessness, placing him at high risk for conventional cardiac surgery.
With the help of robotic-assisted surgery, doctors were able to place a prosthetic valve with just guiding sutures.
"With the 3D dexterity and magnified imaging provided by the da Vinci surgical system, we were able to safely place the valve into the aorta, without the risk of dislocation in future. With robotics used, we had an additional layer of assurance and confidence that the valve was seated properly." — Dr. Arun Kumar, Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeon, KG Hospital
Advantages of Robotic-Assisted Cardiac Surgery
High degrees of precision, clarity with imaging, minimized scarring and blood loss, fewer post-operative wound infections, and faster recovery are additional advantages of robotic-assisted procedures. Reducing the chance of infection makes it an ideal procedure for people with co-morbidities. There is also a lesser degree of rib-spreading required compared to other forms of surgery, enabling patients to return to their regular lives considerably faster than with open surgery.
The RAS system allows surgeons to perform procedures through a few tiny incisions, using wrist-mounted instruments that can bend and rotate far more than a human hand, combined with a magnified 3D high-definition vision system.
About KG Hospital, Coimbatore
With a vision to be one of the nation's most affordable and advanced healthcare providers, KG Hospital has reached a milestone of 50 years, with 84 departments specialising in various medical disciplines. The 500-bed facility is also a Postgraduate Medical Institute offering the DNB degree, and has achieved over 4,000 kidney transplantations, 26,000 cardiac surgeries, and 1 lakh brain surgeries.
