India has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in medical technology with the successful execution of the country’s first robotic cardiac telesurgery across a distance of 2,000 kilometers. SS Innovations, a Made-in-India surgical robotic system manufacturer, announced on Friday that its state-of-the-art SSI Mantra robotic system had accomplished this unprecedented feat.
The long-distance, tele-robotic-assisted intracardiac surgery was conducted from SS Innovations’ headquarters in Gurugram, with the surgical procedure performed on a 35-year-old patient located at Aster CMI Hospital in Bengaluru. The surgery lasted for 2 hours and 40 minutes and involved closing a complex Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), a congenital heart condition characterized by a small hole between the two upper chambers of the heart.
The surgery was performed with exceptional precision, achieving incredibly low latency, which demonstrated the remarkable accuracy and efficiency of robotic-assisted remote surgery, SS Innovations stated.
A Landmark Moment in Surgical Care
Speaking about this groundbreaking achievement, SS Innovations’ Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Dr. Sudhir Srivastava, highlighted the transformative potential of telesurgery in bridging the healthcare gap in India.
“This is a defining moment for the future of surgical care in India. With telesurgery powered by SSI Mantra—designed for India, for the world—we are bridging healthcare gaps and ensuring world-class surgical expertise reaches even the most remote areas. By seamlessly connecting North to South India, we have demonstrated how distance is no longer a barrier to advanced medical care,” said Dr. Srivastava.
The success of this critical cardiac telesurgery marks a significant advancement in Indian healthcare, opening up new possibilities where advanced surgical technology plays a crucial role in making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and effective worldwide.
A Seamless Experience in Remote Cardiac Surgery
Dr. Arul Furtado, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, who played a key role in the procedure, expressed his appreciation for the ease and efficiency of the SSI Mantra system.
“As our first approach into cardiac telesurgery, the experience was seamless, and the SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System proved to be incredibly user-friendly, allowing us to perform the procedure with precision and confidence,” said Dr. Furtado.
A Breakthrough in Medical Technology
The SSI Mantra 3 Surgical Robotic System, developed by SS Innovations, is the only robotic system in the world that has received regulatory approval for telesurgery and tele-proctoring. This approval, granted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), paves the way for the expansion of remote surgeries and telemedical education, enabling healthcare professionals to collaborate across great distances.
With this achievement, India has solidified its position as a leader in advanced medical technology. The successful execution of robotic cardiac telesurgery not only demonstrates the potential of telesurgery but also marks the beginning of a new era in which life-saving procedures can be performed remotely, ensuring that even patients in the most remote areas have access to world-class surgical care.
