India’s First LIVE Robot-Assisted Surgical Stapler Technique Performed by Experts at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals

• Surgically stapling with robotic staplers is the most advanced technique available to Bariatric Surgeons today
• This technique can make complex Bariatric Surgical Procedures minimally invasive and less painful

New Delhi, 27th October, 2021: Experts at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, recently conducted a Live Workshop on Robot- Assisted Surgical Stapler Technique. The use of newly available robotic toll was demonstrated in a live surgery conducted by Dr Arun Prasad, Senior GI, Bariatric & Robotic Surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Former President of Obesity Surgery Society of India. Under his supreme guidance, two patients suffering with serious manifestations of obesity were successfully operated through this robot-assisted surgical stapler, called SureForm.

This is the first use ever of Artificial Intelligence in Robotic Surgery. Here the Stapler gives a feedback on the screen regarding the positioning, suitability, right thickness, right speed of stapling etc to the surgeon. Stapler will not fire unless predefined safety criteria are met fully thereby reducing further the chances of any human error.

With an intent to introduce this breakthrough Robot-Assisted Surgical Tool in their own countries, top surgeons from UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, USA, Mexico, Turkey and Russia too joined this workshop virtually. Bariatric surgeries conducted through this smart technology, give surgeons the control to fire the stapler from the console and retain a complete control and autonomy over the surgery. The robot assistance make the bariatric surgical procedures less complex and enable the surgeons to operate through deep tissues. With an accurate precession, the recovery time reduces for the patients and better post-operative outcomes can be achieved.

Dr Arun Prasad, Senior GI, Bariatric & Robotic Surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Former President of Obesity Surgery Society of India said, “The Robot- Assisted Stapling is the new surgical technique in India. Our knowledge partner, Intuitive India has launched SureForm, a Robot-Assisted Surgical Stapler that comes well-equipped with the SmartFire Technology. This technology with 1,000+ measurements per second makes automatic adjustments to the firing process while the staplers are being formed, and the transection is being made.

Our two patients who were suffering from complexities like Sleep Apnea, Hypertension, Joint Pain, diabetes etc., due to extreme obesity were operated through this surgical stapling technique by using this unique Robot-Assisted tool. With this tool their surgical procedure was optimised and a consistent staple line was administered to prevent the tissue damage. Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has become the first hospital to perform this live workshop in India for this technology. We have demonstrated the usage of this technology during Robotic Bariatric Surgery of Sleeve Gastrectomy as a part of anti-obesity campaign.

It is unsaid that for the patients who were unable to undergo Bariatric surgery due to any complexities or hesitancy, this technology driven tool is a great break through achieved in making traditional bariatric surgeries less complex and achieve better success rates.

About Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals:

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, India’s first JCI accredited hospital, is a joint venture between the Government of Delhi and Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited. Commissioned in July 1996, it is the third super-specialty tertiary care hospital set up by the Apollo Hospitals Group. Spread over 15 acres, it houses 57 specialties with more than 300 specialists and more than 700 operational beds, 19 operation theatres, 138 ICU beds, round-the-clock pharmacy, NABL accredited laboratories, 24-hour emergency services and an active air ambulance service. Apollo Hospitals Delhi has the leading programme in kidney and liver transplant in the country. The first successful paediatrics and adult liver transplants in India were performed at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. The hospital is at the forefront of medical technology and expertise. It provides a complete range of latest diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities for the care of its patients. The Hospital has introduced the most sophisticated imaging technology to India with the introduction of 64 slice CT and 3 Tesla MRI, Novalis Tx and the integrated PET Suite. Indraprastha Apollo has also pioneered the concept of preventive health check programmes and has created a satisfied customer base over decades. The Hospital has been consistently ranked amongst the best 10 hospitals in India by The Week survey for the past few years.

Hospital website – https://delhi.apollohospitals.com/

Twitter: @HospitalsApollo

For more information please contact:

Shrishti Sharma – shrishti.sharma@adfactorspr.com – 9582074003
Anusha Saxena – anusha.saxena@adfactorspr.com – 92058 73422
Rupal Jain – rupal.jain@adfactorspr.com – 8691961361