The Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCIRC) has reached a critical milestone by successfully conducting telesurgery clinical trials with the SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System. The trial included six surgeries, beginning with a urinary bladder cancer surgery and progressing through nephrectomy, hysterectomy, and cystectomy. This experiment revealed that telesurgery is a safe and successful practice, with the potential to increase public access to modern surgical methods in India. 

Dr. Sudhir Rawal, Medical Director and Chief of Genito-Uro Oncology at RGCIRC, was in charge of the trial, which also included Drs. Vandana Jain, Amitabh Singh, and Ashish Khanna. Telesurgery met the high standards of traditional operating rooms without any technical concerns or surgical complications during the treatments.

RGCIRC's collaboration with SS Innovations has been critical to increasing healthcare access throughout India. This collaboration aligns with the 'decentralizing excellence' goal and contributes to the 'Make in India' program by improving the SSI Mantra robotic system based on clinical feedback. Dr. Sudhir Rawal stated, "RGCIRC has teamed with SSI to leverage breakthroughs in medical technology to empower surgeons and change surgical procedures, ensuring an experience comparable to traditional operating room operations. The trials' success will contribute to the establishment of medical procedures while also democratizing access to modern healthcare services." 

Telesurgery's main advantage is that it allows super specialists to do surgeries remotely, lowering travel and hospitalization costs for patients while improving access to specialized treatment in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. This strategy makes high-quality surgical operations more accessible and cost-effective. 

Building on RGCIRC's previous groundbreaking work, which included India's first telesurgery in cancer care, the successful trials with the SSI Mantra Robot usher in a new age of healthcare delivery. The technology promises to transform access to specialized medical care, making advanced surgical treatments more broadly available and affordable.