Gall bladders removed from patients using 'robotic surgery'

: Doctors at JIPMER Hospital here removed gall bladders of two patients recently by performing an innovative surgery using a 'surgical robot'.
The method was introduced at centrally-sponsored JIPMER last month, its Director S C Parija said in a release today, adding it would cost less than Rs 50,000 per patient compared to around Rs seven lakh charged in corporate hospitals.
A team led by additional professor and head of Department of Surgical Gastroenterology Biju Pottakkat performed the surgery.
"Robotic surgery is aimed at bringing the benefits of latest technologies to the poor," Parija said.
This innovative surgery is a keyhole operation performed with a robot helping surgeons carry out the operation in difficult areas, Pottakkat said.

Further, he said the surgeries were performed using the 'DaVinci XI Robotic surgical system.'
'Robotic operations help reducing blood loss during surgery and patients can be discharged within a few days of surgery,' Pottakkat added.
He also said the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology would soon introduce robotic surgeries by expanding it for more complicated problems affecting abdominal organs.