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Robotic CABG Surgery in India: The Future Of Heart Surgeries
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) improves blood flow to the heart for patients with blocked arteries. The robotic CABG surgery is a relatively new minimally invasive surgical technique. It’s less invasive than conventional open heart surgery, which involves sawing the breastbone in half. It uses surgical robots and a camera attached to a robotic machine, which the heart surgeon controls via a computer console. This minimally invasive technique allows precise control of the surgical instruments through minor cuts (4 to 6 cm) on the side of the chest.
Only skilled surgeons can perform this surgical procedure. Here we will delve into the details of robotic CABG surgery and how it is performed in India. We will also inform you about India’s best hospitals and doctors performing this surgery.
What is Coronary Artery Disease?
Like all body organs, the heart also needs a constant blood supply. The blood is supplied via two large blood vessels, the left and right coronary arteries. However, these arteries become narrow and hardened over time by depositing fatty acids known as plaques. This is known as atherosclerosis.
People suffering from this disease are said to have coronary heart disease. The best treatment option in India to treat coronary heart disease is Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, also known as CABG.
Understanding CABG
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, commonly known as CABG, is a surgical procedure performed to improve the blood flow to the heart.
- A healthy blood vessel is taken from the leg or chest to bypass the blocked artery.
- It is a well-established procedure successfully performed in India to treat CAD for years.
The Emergence of Robotic CABG Surgery
- Robotic CABG uses specialized instruments and a 3D camera for high-definition imaging.
- Using robotic arms, the surgeon can access the heart through small incisions in the patient’s chest.
- A surgeon sits at a console near the operating table and controls the robotic arms with his hands and feet.
- A robotic system translates a surgeon’s movement into precise actions, allowing the bypass vessel to graft onto the affected coronary arteries.
How likely are you to get Coronary Artery Disease?
Coronary heart disease is more likely to happen as you get older. You can also get it if:
- You’re a smoker
- Your weight is out of control
- Your diet is high in fat
What are the common symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease?
Coronary artery disease symptoms include:
- Pain in your chest
- Tiredness on exertion
- Feeling palpitations
- An abnormal heartbeat
- Breathlessness on exertion
Coronary Artery Bypass surgery: Who needs it?
A robotic CABG surgery in India restores blood flow around a blocked artery. Surgery is an emergency treatment for a heart attack. In these situations, it may also be recommended:
- A blockage in the left artery is preventing your heart from getting enough blood
- Severe narrowing in the central heart artery
- A chest pain that’s unbearable
- Blockage of more than one artery in the heart
- Blockage of a heart artery that can’t be fixed with angioplasty
- Angioplasty that didn’t work, with or without a stent.
Diagnosis
You can get the following tests before surgery:
- Electrocardiogram or ECG
- A heart ultrasound
- Stress Echo
- Nuclear cardiac stress test
- Angiography
- Cardiac CT scan
Robotic CABG Surgery in Delhi: Understanding the Surgery in Detail
This is the latest treatment option available in India for treating patients suffering from coronary heart disease. Unlike traditional CABG, it is a specialized coronary artery bypass technique that uses robots to perform the surgery. Let us understand this surgery in detail.
Before the Surgery
To decide if this procedure is correct, your healthcare provider will examine your medical history, lifestyle, and the severity of your condition.
- Ask questions to your healthcare provider about the procedure.
- During the procedure, you must sign a consent form. Be bold and ask questions if something needs to be clarified.
- Your healthcare provider will do a physical exam and a medical history to ensure your health. Blood tests and other diagnostic tests may also be done.
- Tell your healthcare provider if you’re pregnant.
- Ensure your healthcare provider knows if you’re sensitive to or allergic to medicines, latex, iodine, tape, contrast dyes, or anaesthetics.
- Ensure your doctor knows what you’re taking (prescriptions, over-the-counter, herbal supplements).
- You should tell your healthcare provider if you have a bleeding disorder or if you take anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medicine or aspirin. You may have to stop these medicines before the procedure.
- You should tell your healthcare provider if you have a pacemaker.
- Before the robotic coronary artery bypass surgery in India, stop smoking if you smoke. It’ll help you recover from surgery and stay healthy.
- After midnight, you can’t eat, drink, or take oral medicine for 8 hours before the procedure.
- The doctor may ask you to do other preparations based on your medical condition.
During the Procedure
- Anesthesia: Before the Robotic CABG surgery, the patient is put under general anesthesia to keep them asleep and pain-free.
- Surgical Setup: The patient is positioned on an operating table, and tiny incisions are made in the chest. Robotic instruments enter through these small incisions.
- Setup of the robotic system: The surgical team sets up the robot, usually the da Vinci Surgical System, which consists of a high-definition 3D camera and robotic arms.
- Surgeon Console: Cardiothoracic surgeons sit at a console near the operating table, controlling robotic arms with their hands and feet. The robotic system turns the surgeon’s movements into precise actions.
- Placement of trocars: Trocars are hollow tubes inserted through small incisions. The trocars are used to get the robotic arms into the patient.
- Identifying a Bypass Vessel: The surgeon will choose a healthy blood vessel for the bypass graft, usually from the leg or chest. Grafts are carefully harvested and prepared.
- Exposed Coronary Artery: The surgeon exposes the heart’s narrowed or blocked coronary artery.
- Grafting the Bypass Vessel: The surgeon uses robots to attach one end of the bypass vessel to the aorta and the other to the coronary artery beyond the blockage. It bypasses the blocked or narrowed area and restores normal blood flow to the heart.
- Verification and Quality Check: After the bypass graft during robotic coronary artery bypass surgery in Delhi, the surgeons ensure nothing leaks.
- Closure: The robotic instruments are removed once the procedure is complete, and the small incisions are closed with sutures or surgical glue.
What is a graft? Which one is better, venous or arterial?
A graft is a blood vessel used to bypass a blocked artery. The most common types of CABG grafts are arterial and venous grafts. Here is a comparison between the two:
| Aspect | Arterial Graft | Venous Graft |
| Source of Graft | Internal mammary artery (IMA), radial artery, or other arteries | Harvested from the saphenous vein |
| Characteristics | They have their blood supply, so they’re more durable. | Vein grafts have no blood supply, so they are more likely to get blocked. |
| Surgical Technique | It takes more skill and precision to do arterial grafts, which involve detaching the graft from its original location and reattaching it to the coronary artery. Usually done with a minimally invasive procedure like Robotic CABG. | Venous grafts are easier to harvest and attach because they come from only one place. It may be used in traditional open-heart surgery
|
| Number of Grafts | Typically, one arterial graft can be used to bypass multiple coronary arteries | Multiple venous grafts may be required to bypass multiple coronary arteries. |
| Preferred Use | Younger patients | Older Patients |
After The Surgery
- You’ll be moved to the CTVS ICU as soon as the surgery is done.
- As soon as your pain is under control, you can keep liquid down without nausea and vomiting, and your labs look normal or close to the baseline, you’ll be discharged.
- After you get discharged from the hospital, you can manage your pain with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- Keep your incisions clean and dry. Do not use powders, or lotions, on the incision lines, as this can irritate the skin.
- After robotic CABG surgery, you can return to regular activity more quickly. In most cases, you’ll be able to get back to your routine after a few weeks.
- You’ll usually have follow-up appointments with your doctor. Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you experience chest pain or discomfort after the procedure.
- Remember to take all or your medicines as prescribed.
Advantages of Robotic CABG
- Scarring and postoperative pain are reduced with smaller incisions.
- Shorter hospital stays and faster recovery are possible with minimal chest trauma.
- Surgery can be more precise with high-definition 3D cameras.
- The risk of infection and complications is lower than with open-heart surgery.
- Patients get discharged after 5 days of surgery
- There will be no post-surgical anaemia due to less blood loss during surgery
Risks in Robotic CABG
Despite the numerous benefits of robotic surgery, there are still risks to consider:
- There are small risks of bleeding, wound infections, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, strokes, and death or the need for further operation in the future.
- Risks vary among individuals depending on the severity of the underlying disease.
- You should discuss the risks and benefits with your surgeon before the surgery.
Outcomes and Evidence
Robotic CABG surgery in India has shown promising results compared to traditional CABG. Despite a lack of long-term data, initial studies suggest that Robotic CABG is a safe, effective, and open surgery.
What’s next?
Robotic CABG is only going to get better as technology gets better. We could see advancements in robotic platforms, the integration of artificial intelligence, and the expansion of robotic-assisted cardiac procedures.
Limitations of Robotic Surgery
- A robotic system can be costly, making it a substantial investment for healthcare facilities.
- Robotic CABG requires specialized training for surgeons to master the technology
- Rural and less developed areas may not have access to robotic CABG
- Not all patients are suitable candidates for robotic CABG, especially obese patients.
- Various types of coronary artery disease and valve conditions may not be suitable for robotic CABG.
- It may take longer to complete robotic CABG compared to traditional CABG.
- The success of Robotic CABG surgery in Delhi depends on the robotic system and associated technology. Mistakes or system failures could affect the surgery.
Top Robotic CABG Doctors in India||Top Hospitals|| Cost
| Hospital | Best Doctor | Cost |
| Max Super Speciality Hospital, (JCI Accreditation) | Dr Rajneesh Malhotra – Principal Director – Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery Cardiac Sciences,, (Experience 35 years). | 9000$ |
| Manipal Hospitals, (NABH Accreditation) | Dr YK Mishra, Head Of Cardiac Sciences And Chief Cardio Vascular Surgeon., (Experience 30 years). | 8500$ |
| Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, (JCI Accreditation) | Dr Mukesh Goel – Chief Cardiac Surgeon, (Experience 25 years) | 8000$ |
| Medanta the Medicity , (JCI Accreditation) | Dr Sanjay Mittal, Director – Clinical and Preventive Cardiology, (Experience 20 years) | 8500$ |
How can you avail the best Robotic CABG Surgery in India – Step By Step process?
Cross Border Care is here for you if you are looking for trustworthy treatment consultants in India. We will help you find the best doctor in India and get your treatment done for JCI-accredited hospitals at the most pocket-friendly rates. Our team includes experienced medical professionals with you at each treatment step. So, if you are planning your Robotic-CABG surgery in India, fill out the form below, and we will help you to choose the best doctor and hospital providing state-of-art-technology.
We will help you to find the best Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Doctors in India
