Robotic surgeries can redefine healthcare infrastructure

The medical world has witnessed rapid changes in the Medtech category. In the times of COVID-19, medical manpower scarcity became a challenge, and to keep non-COVID operations going on, the Medtech industry improvised and innovated, ensuring uninterrupted medical services.

A few months into the lockdown, hospitals increasingly moved towards robot-assisted surgeries to deal with huge backlogs. Though robotics surgery is indeed one of the great technological success stories of present times, it has not been used extensively because it is cost-prohibitive. With increased research in the usage of robotics for surgeries, the entire landscape of the healthcare system is changing. After the first patient was operated on in 1998 using a surgical robot, more than a million robotic surgeries have been completed successfully in the last 20 years with a continuous evolution in technology.

With a humble beginning in the middle of the twentieth century, the robotic surgery field has seen great success to date but still, a lot needs to be done to bring it to the reach of the masses. Currently, there are close to 79 robotic surgical systems present in India that are not being used to their full potential. The reason is these systems are far too expensive and take years to master, due to which very few surgeons get trained to operate these robotic systems and, much of the world is still waiting to benefit from this technology.

According to recent data, there is one doctor for every 1,445 Indians which is lower than the WHO’s prescribed norm of one doctor for 1,000 people. Also, India ranks lowest in availability of hospital beds per 1000 people. The global average is 3.4 beds per thousand people whereas India stands far behind with 0.7 beds. Shortage of healthcare professionals, bad connectivity and, limited medical supplies are additional problems.

In the present scenario, robotic surgeries are more beneficial compared to traditional surgery, as it needs smaller incisions, which means less pain and scarring, leading to less time spent in the hospital and quicker recovery time, which is a boon for the Indian healthcare system. Also, it will put less pressure on the healthcare professional as robotic surgery brings enhanced precision, flexibility, control, and vision. It also allows the surgeon to perform very delicate or complex surgical procedures that may have been very difficult or even impossible without the aid of the robot.

A country like India will be benefitted from the inclusion of robotic surgeries on a mass scale as it will lower the infection rate and faster recovery. The tier 2 cities will also get doctors equipped with the knowledge and precision available only in metros and tier1 cities. More hospitals will be able to handle complicated and life-threatening surgeries. It will bring a revolution in the medical field where both patients and surgeons will look forward to an improved life expectancy.

Robotic technology is currently expensive for wider adoption across all types of healthcare settings, its adaptability specifically concerning robotic assistants in surgery is still to reach the masses. The hope is that next-generation surgical robots would be economical and will bridge the gap, which can be made available for more people and benefit the world in the long run. Around 140 companies and research institutions are working on various robotic systems. The focus is on how to keep it cost-effective. If the procedures are economical and the maintenance contracts are affordable, more patients will get the benefit. Keeping this vision in mind, we are all set to launch the first Made in India robotic surgical system SSI Mantra by the end of this year.

Robotic-assisted surgeries have made significant contributions to the Indian healthcare industry, and the market is expected to reach ?2,600 crore by 2024 at a CAGR of 19.8 per cent, as per a report by Research and Markets. Based on the findings of a symposium last year, almost 50 per cent of all surgeries in India will be robot-assisted by 2025.

Robotic surgical systems will play a critical role in training young medical professionals to become more efficient future surgeons. It will make the surgeries more precise and less complicated. Tier 2 and tier 3 hospitals will also be able to provide procedures at par with big-city hospitals.

There is a long way to go in creating awareness about the benefits of robotic surgery. Acceptance of robotic surgery needs to increase significantly, along with the cost-effectiveness. The transition from conventional surgery to robotic surgery will be complete only when accessibility and affordability are chalked out and planned accordingly. Daily Pioneer