PGI 1st govt hospital in India to have robotic surgery for kids

Chandigarh: PGIMER’s department of paediatric surgery has introduced robotic surgery — a first for any government hospital in India as far as paediatric care is concerned.

Experts at the premier medical institute carried out the first such surgery on Wednesday. In this case, an 11-year-old child, who had an obstruction in the kidneys, was operated upon using the robot.

The child is doing well now and is expected to be discharged by Thursday. The child hails from a farmer’s family in Ludhiana. He had been suffering for the past four years.

The head of the department, Prof Ram Samujh, led the surgery. He was assisted by Dr Ravi Kanojia, Dr Monika Bawa, Dr Vineet Binu, Dr Ravi Mohan, Dr Borah, and Dr Neeru Sahni, who was the anaesthesia in charge.

Prof Samujh said robotic surgery improved precision and helped in faster recovery. “PGIMER has become the first government-sector hospital in the country to offer this facility,” he said. “The departments of urology, obstetrics and gynaecology and otolaryngology have already been offering this facility to adults for three years.”