A major improvement in patient care will occur when BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital in Pune become the second government facility in Maharashtra to offer robotic surgery. The hospital plans to begin operations in the general surgery department by the end of January after installing a robotic surgery equipment that was manufactured in India. The system was supposed to be up and running in December, but technical difficulties caused a delay. Prior to the system’s introduction, senior physicians would receive training on it, according to college dean Dr. Eknath Pawar.
With its four arms, the robotic surgery device can make four small incisions at once, giving doctors more maneuverability and a 360-degree turning radius. It is anticipated that this cutting-edge technology will make laparoscopic surgery for hernias, gallbladder stones, appendices, and other conditions easier. The technology, which was designed by SS Mantra, will be installed in the general surgery department’s modular operating room.
Robotic surgery’s small incisions are one of its key benefits, as they help patients recuperate more quickly. This is especially helpful in government medical college hospitals, which frequently struggle with a large patient volume and a shortage of beds. The hospital will be able to treat more patients with faster recovery periods, increasing overall productivity and cutting down on patient wait times.
However, compared to open operations or traditional laparoscopy, the robotic surgery equipment is more costly. The treatment will probably be paid by the state government’s Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, which offers health insurance for economically disadvantaged populations, Dr. Pawar said in order to allay this financial issue. In order to further lower patient expenses, the system’s maker is also anticipated to provide complimentary consumables to the first 100 patients.
The hospital is improving its diagnostic capabilities in addition to the robotic surgery equipment. According to Dr. Pawar, the hospital will soon have three more mobile CT scanners and one mobile MRI equipment. In order to shorten wait times for patients in need of diagnostic imaging, these mobile units—which will include a mobile CT scan machine outside the hospital and another outside the casualty ward—would be placed strategically.
Since the hospital’s general surgery department now performs roughly ten major procedures and twenty-five minor surgeries every day, the implementation of robotic surgery represents a huge advancement in the facility’s efficiency and patient care. The state’s healthcare services would be further improved by Pune’s embrace of robotic surgery, which is already being used at the government medical institution in Nagpur.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
