CM inaugurates robotic surgery centre at TNGMSSH

The installation is the first in a State-owned government set-up in the country, says Health Secretary

Chief Minister M.K.Stalin inaugurated an advanced robotic surgery centre at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital (TNGMSSH), Omandurar Estate on Tuesday. The facility has come up at a cost of ₹34.60 crore.

The robotic system with two consoles was procured through Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. Patients of specialty departments such as urology, surgical gastroenterology, surgical oncology, endocrine surgery and cardiothoracic surgery would benefit from the facility. A few specialists have been trained for the programme,

According to a press release, the da Vinci robotic surgery system installed at TNGMSSH was an advanced form of minimally invasive surgery system. Robotic surgery would enable surgeons to perform complex major surgeries with ease by using the robotic instruments. Surgeons will use ‘Endowrist’ manipulation, 3D magnification and depth perception and tremor filtration.

It is ascertained that there are a total of 75 such installations in India and around six in Chennai, all in corporate hospitals. The installation at TNGMSSH is the first in a State-owned government set-up in the country. A handful of Central government institutions such as JIPMER and AIIMS have this system, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said in a release.

The human hand can move round the wrist only up to 120 degrees whereas the robotic endowrist enabled 360 degree freedom of movement with tremor filtration of the surgeon’s hands. According to the trained specialists, the 3D magnification and depth perception enabled ease of surgeries even in difficult areas such as deep into the pelvis and magnification helped in precise identification of arteries, nerves and lymphatics surrounding vital organs. Better tissue plane identification, precise dissection, control of blood vessels to minimise intraoperative blood loss, sparing of nerves and vital structures during surgery.

The specialists outlined the advantages of robotic surgery — surgeon’s dexterity reducing fatigue and hand tremor with 360 degree endowrist manipulation. Robotic surgery minimises blood loss, operative time, clear surgical planes in view of small incisions and precise coagulation during surgery, reduced post-operative morbidity such as pain, analgesic use or infection, and enables shorter hospitalisation, speedy recovery, early ambulation and early discharge from the hospital.

Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary/Officer on Special Duty P. Senthilkumar, Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Deepak Jacob, Director of Medical Education R. Narayana Babu and director of TNGMSSH R. Vimala were present.