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New Delhi: In an era where precision is paramount and patient recovery is prioritised more than ever, robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is no longer a futuristic concept—it is rapidly becoming the gold standard in operating rooms across the globe, and increasingly, in India.
Once reserved for complex prostatectomies, robotic surgery today spans a wide range of specialties—from gynecology and gastrointestinal surgery to thoracic and oncologic procedures—delivering consistent benefits for both patients and surgeons.
Dr. Myriam Curet, Global Chief Medical Officer, Intuitive Surgical, emphasises that the original value of RAS was in converting open surgeries into minimally invasive ones—a breakthrough that radically reduced hospital stays, post-operative complications, and improved patient outcomes.
“We started in urology where minimal access options were limited,” says Dr. Curet. “But as evidence grew, we saw the benefits expand to patients previously considered inoperable via laparoscopy, those with high BMI or advanced disease. Now, robotics isn’t just an alternative to open surgery, it’s proving superior even to laparoscopy in many cases.”
The Evidence Speaks
A landmark study published in Annals of Surgery, dubbed the COMPARE Study, analysed over a million patients across seven cancer procedures and multiple countries.
It found that RAS significantly reduced hospital stay, readmission, complication rates, and blood transfusions—despite a marginally longer operating time.
Crucially, conversion rates (where a minimally invasive surgery has to be converted to open mid-procedure) were reduced by more than half with robotic approaches, a game-changer for patient trust and recovery.
“Conversion is traumatic for patients who come in expecting a short stay and walk out with a large incision and longer recovery,” says Dr. Curet. “Robotics dramatically lowers this risk.”
For Dr. Venkat P, a senior consultant robotic surgeon, Apollo Cancer Centre, Chennai, the impact has been nothing short of transformative.
“From reduced ICU stays and wound infections to faster discharge, RAS has become a blessing, especially for elderly or high-risk patients,” he explains. “In the past, a major surgery meant 10-12 days in the hospital. Now? Two to three days.”
He estimates a 40 per cent increase in surgical volumes at his center since adopting RAS. Many patients now actively request robotic surgery even switching hospitals or doctors to access it. “Our best advocates are patients themselves,” he notes.
Dr. Priya Kapoor, a consultant robotic surgical oncologist at Apollo Cancer Centres, highlights the remarkable reduction in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). “Our wound infection rate is
Beyond infection control, oncologic precision has seen a leap. “The robotic camera gives us a 10x magnified view, and the instruments offer unmatched dexterity. We can dissect and remove lymph nodes from locations human hands can’t reach,” Dr. Kapoor adds.
Procedures like robotic Whipple (a procedure to treat tumors and other conditions in the pancreas, small intestine and bile ducts) once deemed too complex are now regularly performed by experienced teams in India. “Five years ago, robotic colorectal surgeries were rare. Today, they’re standard of care,” says Dr. Kapoor. “Soon, Whipple’s will be, too.”
Surgeons themselves are seeing improved quality of life. Dr. Curet, a practicing general and bariatric surgeon, recounts how ergonomics was one of the reasons she embraced RAS.
“Laparoscopic bariatric surgery took a toll on long hours, awkward postures, and physical strain. The robot changed that. I could operate comfortably, and my trainees learned faster, cutting learning curves from 100 to 40 cases.”
For Dr Vishal Soni, Robotic Gastrointestinal, Hernia – AWR, and Obesity Surgeon, Zydus Hospitals, Ahmedabad, the biggest advantage of RAS lies in its predictability.
“With sub-millimeter precision, what I imagine as a surgeon is what I execute. Outcomes become more predictable, and that brings confidence to both me and my patient,” he says.
Dr. Venkat echoes this: “You’re seated, relaxed, focused. Less physical exertion, better mental clarity. It’s a win-win.”
The Cost Conundrum: Short-Term vs Long-Term
While RAS has been criticized for its higher upfront cost, surgeons argue that total cost of care must be considered. With shorter hospital stays, fewer infections, reduced ICU needs, and faster return to normal life, robotic surgery often ends up being more economical in the long run—especially when factoring in caregiver time, income loss, and quality of life.
Dr. Venkat summarises it aptly: “It’s not just the hospital bill. Robotic surgery saves time, stress, and resources, for both the patient and their family.”
As surgical oncology, GI, gynecology, and thoracic surgery continue to embrace RAS, it’s becoming clear that robotic platforms are not just the future, they are the present. With India producing world-class evidence, expanding surgeon training, and deepening patient awareness, the shift is no longer just technological, it’s transformational.
In the next decade, as Dr. Venkat predicts, “We won’t be talking about robotic surgery. It will just be surgery.”
