Robotic surgery much more efficient: Doctor
With the rapid changes in technology come equally rapid changes in healthcare. Now robotic surgery is being touted as the next big thing, and according to a leading doctor, it is much more efficient, minimally invasive, and greatly precise.
Dr. Prokar Dasgupta, who is a pioneer of robotic surgery in the UK, discussed the importance and advantages of robotic surgery while announcing USICON 2011 ? the international Urology Conference, here on Friday.
?A typical surgery in a typical Operation Theatre includes two or three surgeons, an anesthesiologist, and several nurses ? all needed for even the simplest of operations,? said Dasgupta.
?But robotic surgery eliminates the need for so many people ? it minimizes the risk of error, and in a nearly empty OT, the doctor sits at a computer console (either in or outside the room) accomplishing what it once took a crowd of people to perform,? he said.
Dasgupta is Senior Academic Urologist within the Division of Immunology, Infection and Inflammatory Diseases (DIIID), Guy?s Hospital, King?s College London School of Medicine.
He further explained that through robotic surgery, much smaller incisions are made, thus leading to less bleeding and quicker recovery.
There is a general misconception that it is the robot who is operating, however it is the doctor who is controlling the robot ? much like a master-slave relationship, he said.
Dasgupta is in the city to attend USICON 2011, the 44th Urological Society of India Conference (21st ? 24 January) which is being held in Kolkata after sixteen years at Science City.
Talking about the conference, Prof. Arunava Choudhury (Organising Chairman), on the subject of USICON, said: ?The programme will feature many urological topics, from andrology to infertility, from oncology to stones, from pediatric urology to minimally invasive techniques, etc. International experts in the field will be present ? and almost 1800 doctors from India and abroad will be sharing their knowledge and experience.?
?Of course, one of the main focus points will be robotic surgery,? he said.
Dr. Amit Ghose, (Co-Organising Secretary), said in the last decade and a half, urology has undergone a sea change, and the USICON Conference will have national and international experts, urologists and in the field deliberating on various topics.
?There are seven robotic surgery setups in India, out of which five are in Delhi (in AIIMS and other hospitals), and the other two in Chennai and Pune,? he said.
There is no robotic surgery setup in West Bengal, but doctors are trying their best to get one as the benefits are widely acknowledged.
The high cost is a factor, but if the robotic surgery setup is used by multi-disciplinary hospitals, not just for bowel surgery and cardiac surgery, but also for hysterectomy, gynaecology and ENT operations, then things will definitely look up.
Dr. Shivaji Basu (Organising Secretary) informed that there would be many topics discussed and deliberated upon at USICON ? like the role of Robotics in Urology, the subject of Uro-Oncology, and Renal Transplantation.
The Conference will be inaugurated on 22nd January at Science City Convention Centre, the Chief Guest will be Somnath Chatterjee (Former Speaker, Lok Sabha), and Goutam Mohan Chakrabarti (Commissioner of Police, Kolkata Police), will be the Guest of Honour.