A surgeon at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC) in Delhi has performed a robotic partial nephrectomy on a patient in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, using an indigenously developed telesurgery system.
Dr Sudhir Rawal, chief of genito-uro oncology at RGCIRC, remotely controlled the SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System during the procedure. A partial nephrectomy removes the cancer-affected portion of the kidney while seeking to preserve healthy tissue. The patient remained at the hospital in Puttaparthi, supported by the local clinical team.
The procedure was conducted as part of the Urological Society of India’s USI CARES initiative in Puttaparthi, which brings urologists together to provide free surgery and share expertise with younger doctors.
Telesurgery allows a surgeon to control robotic instruments from a location separate from the patient. Commands are transmitted to the patient-side system, while video provides the surgeon with a view of the operating field. The robot remains under the surgeon’s control, with a clinical team at the patient’s location providing essential support.
For patients requiring specialist cancer surgery, treatment can mean long-distance travel, accommodation costs and time away from work and family. Remote surgery may help reduce some of these barriers by connecting experienced surgeons with appropriately equipped hospitals elsewhere.
“The significance of telesurgery lies in taking surgical expertise to the patient. This procedure shows how a surgeon at RGCIRC can work with a team in another state to deliver specialist cancer care to remote areas, where accessibility to high-quality cancer care is still limited,” Dr Rawal said.
The approach depends on reliable connectivity, low transmission delay, trained teams and plans for managing technical or clinical emergencies. Its wider use will require hospitals to be prepared as well as continued advances in robotics and communications technology.
RGCIRC’s involvement with the SSI Mantra system includes clinical feedback during its development. The institute’s account of preliminary trials, published in 2022, described how surgical experience informed subsequent refinements to the technology.
In July 2024, RGCIRC reported completing a telesurgery trial involving six procedures, including kidney, bladder and gynaecological operations. The trials were conducted to assess the feasibility of remote surgery under controlled conditions.
“Our involvement in developing and evaluating this technology has been guided by the need to make advanced cancer care more accessible. The Puttaparthi procedure carries that work forward by connecting specialist expertise in Delhi with patient care in Andhra Pradesh,” Dr Rawal said.
Remote connections could also support training by enabling experienced surgeons to guide and mentor teams at other hospitals. “Telesurgery has an important role to explore in training and mentoring, alongside patient care. By connecting experienced specialists with teams elsewhere, we can share knowledge and support the development of surgical skills,” Dr Rawal said.
The procedure reflects a broader effort to explore how Indian-developed surgical technology could extend access to specialist care. Its potential will depend on careful evaluation, hospital readiness and the ability to maintain safe support at both ends of the connection.
Source: Pharmabiz
