Da Vinci Surgical System: Role in Robotic Heart Surgery

Robotic heart surgery in India

Robot-assisted cardiac surgery is also known as robotic heart surgery, and it is a minimally invasive type of heart surgery that is made possible with the help of sophisticated robotic procedures in order to guide the surgeon with precision and flexibility and control. It is becoming more and more used in India in the best hospitals and it provides a better result, quicker recovery and reduced complications.

What is the meaning of Robotic Heart Surgery?

In the robotic heart surgery, the surgeons operate on a computer console; in a robotic arm surgical instruments are placed. By using small incisions (2-3 cm), the robot copies every movement of the hand of the surgeon in real time, having the ability to reach high precision and stability, when it is difficult to operate in hard-to-access places of the heart.

Procedures done with the aid of Robotics

• Mitral valve (repair/replacement)
• Repair of tricuspid valve
• MIDCAB coronary artery bypass (CABG)
• Atrial septal defect (ASD) repair
• Removal of tumor or mass in the heart
• Atrial fibrillation maze technique
• Pericardiectomy

Factors Affecting Cost of Robotic Heart Surgery

These are the most significant influencers of the price of robotic heart surgery in India:

Type and Operation of Surgery

• The cost of ASD closure and mitral valve repair differs in that the latter tends to be more costly.
• More complex operations (e.g. robotic CABG involving valve repair) take more operative time, and more expertise, so again cost is higher.

Infrastructure of Hospitals and their location

• Famous hospitals (e.g., Medanta, FMRI, Apollo) or hospitals with a large price because of better robotic units (e.g., da Vinci Surgical System) or the better infrastructure.
• The hospitals in the tier-1 cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore) are relatively more costly when compared to the ones in smaller cities.

Team Experience of Surgeon

• Highly trained surgeons who use robot-assisted cardiac surgery charge high fees.
• Professional teams translate to higher results at the expense of higher base price.

Technology and Type of Robotic System

• Latest-generation da Vinci robotic systems raise the cost of the procedures because of expensive equipment and maintenance costs, although they do improve precision.

Loss-to-Follow-Up

• Whereas the hospital-stay (35 days) that is supposed to be lower because of robotic surgery can be higher when there are postoperative problems or the need of the patient to be at the ICU.

Preoperative and diagnostic Testing

• Examples include the use of echocardiograms, angiograms, chest CT/MRI, blood tests, etc.

The Postoperative Care and Follow-up

• Includes drugs, cardiac rehabilitation, post-consultations.
• There is a possibility of high expenses in case one requires prolonged observation or further imaging.

Patient Factors

• Age, comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, obesity) can involve lengthy observation or more days in the ICU.
• The patients at risk can be supported with other types of treatments such as transfusions or introducing ventilators.

Amenities and Room Category

• Daily charges on general ward vis-a-vis private deluxe rooms can be extremely different.

Foreign Patients Services

The international patients might be charged extra expenses in:

• Translation services
• Travel and visa support
• Surgery accommodation prior to and after the surgery
• Transfers to Airport/hospital

Robotic bypass surgery

Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), or Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB), is a newer, less-invasive technique compared to the traditional open-heart bypass operation. By employing robotic systems such as the da Vinci Surgical System, the operation is done with minimal cuts without having to open the chest with a sternotomy.

What Is Robotic Bypass Surgery?

During robotic CABG:

• The surgeon manipulates robotic arms from a console.
• Small cameras and instruments are passed through small cuts (5–10 mm).
• The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is usually grafted to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery.
• The procedure spares large trauma to the heart and chest.

Best hospital for robotic heart surgery

• Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon
• Medanta-The Medicity, Gurgaon
• Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon
• Max Hospital, Saket

Advantages of robotic heart surgery

• Minimally invasive: small cuts
• Reduced susceptibility to be infected
• Fewer pains and scarring
• Less time in hospital (35 days on average)
• Quick recovery and back to normal life
• Less blood loss and blood donation
• Better cosmetic outcome

Top cardiac surgeons for robotic surgery

• Dr. Sushant Srivastava
• Dr. Naresh Trehan
• Dr. Udgeath Dhir
• Dr. Balbir Singh

Robotic heart surgery in India by GetWellGo

GetWellGo is regarded as a leading supplier of healthcare services. We help our foreign clients choose the best treatment locations that suit their needs both financially and medically.

We offer:

• Complete transparency
• Fair costs.
• 24 hour availability.
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• Assistance in selecting India's top hospitals for Robotic heart surgery.
• Expert doctor with a strong track record of success
• Assistance during and after the course of treatment.
• Language Support
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• Case manager assigned to every patient to provide seamless support in and out of the hospital like appointment booking
• Local SIM Cards
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