5,000 doctors worldwide to view live surgery in India

More than 5,000 doctors from all over the world will witness a live surgery to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder, to be performed at the Asian Heart Institute (AHI) here Tuesday, an official said here Saturday.

This is the first time that such a live robotic surgery will be performed before a global audience of medicos along with expert lectures on the occasion.

Leading ENT surgeon Vikas Agrawal will operate on three patients to show the different issues pertaining to OSA among Indians.

Two Italian medicos and pioneers in OSA - Claudio Vicini and Filippo Montevecchi - shall discuss different aspects of Transoral Robotic Surgery for OSA.

OSA is a disorder in which a person stops breathing during night, maybe several times - with the gaps called 'apneas' (literally "without breath").

The disorder occurs when tissues in the upper throat collapse at different times during sleep, thereby blocking passage of air.

According to Agrawal, OSA increases with age and the latest Indian studies have revealed that its prevalence is three times higher in men as compared to women.

Agrawal is the first Indian medico to cure this complex ENT procedure robotically and endoscopically.

AHI Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Ramakanta Panda (who operated on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh four years ago), has lauded the initiative which would help AHI set new benchmarks globally.