Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai successfully performed robotic-assisted cystoprostatectomy (surgical procedure to remove urinary bladder and prostate gland) on a 71-year-old male. The patient who had past history of diabetes mellitus had presented with complaints of increased frequency, urgency and occasional hematuria (blood in urine). The patient’s full body PET/CT scan showed tumor in the urinary bladder involving bilateral VU junction causing hydroureteronephrosis (swelling of ureters). The patient underwent transurethral resection of tumor (removal of bladder tumor) for extraction of sample for biopsy. The biopsy confirmed urinary bladder cancer. Dr Amol kumar Patil, Senior Consultant Urology, Uro Oncology, Kidney Transplant & Robotic Surgery Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai said, “The case was discussed in the tumor board and surgery was planned. We decided to perform a robotic-assisted surgery to remove the urinary bladder and prostate gland. Since both prostate gland and urinary bladder was removed from the patient’s body, we performed an ileal conduit procedure wherein a new tube from the intestine is created for the kidney pipes to drain and the urine to exit the body. The advantages of robotically-assisted surgery is that it is minimally invasive & enables high surgical accuracy. Compared to conventional surgery, blood loss is less therefore chances of infection are significantly reduced & patients recover faster. There is a positive impact on resources for both patients & healthcare facilities. Dr. Tejinder Singh, Consultant, Medical Oncology was consulted for adjuvant chemotherapy. The patient underwent 4 cycles of chemotherapy and he is stable and doing well. Mr Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO Western Region, Apollo Hospitals said, “We are elated that the cohesive efforts of everybody at Apollo – the Nurses, Anesthetists, the ICU, and other support staff – coupled with the prompt facilities available has produced such exemplary outputs. A robotic surgery helps us treat elderly patients efficiently as quick recoveries are vital for elderly patients and such curative care techniques improve their quality of life.” Till date, more than 9200 robotically-assisted surgeries have been performed at Apollo Hospitals – one of the many firsts, Apollo has achieved over the decades in revolutionizing healthcare.

Continuing the long string of breakthroughs and performing successful complex path breaking surgeries, Apollomedics Superspeciality Hospital, through a grueling marathon 48-hour surgical procedure, saved the life of a female sketch artist. In this surgery, the artist not only was cured of her life threatening brain aneurysm but also got her eyesight back. MD & CEO, Apollomedics Superspeciality Hospital, Dr. MayankSomani, said “the 40-year-old female patient presented herself in emergency with loss of vision and altered sensorium. The emergency team post MRI of brain quickly identified the probable reason, a brain aneurysm exceeding a little over the size of a golf ball had developed in the base of patient’s brain about to burst any minute, leading to excessive bleeding in the brain, which would have been a life-threatening event. The patient’s attendants were briefed of the situation and immediately a QRT constituting with multiple surgical specialists was assigned the task to undertake this high-risk surgery. The entire complex surgery involved 50 doctors and paramedics and took about 48 hours. The entire team worked tirelessly and committed themselves to save the patient’s life. Due to the in-house team of super specialist doctors at Apollomedics Hospital, we were able to handle such complex surgeries and make quick decisions without wasting any crucial time. Our team is continuously living up to its objective and people’s expectations, it is a very proud moment for our entire team. Successful surgeries like these are testimonial to our commitment of providing most advanced medical care in Uttar Pradesh and neighboring states.” Senior Consultant Neurosurgery, Apollomedics Hospital, and the Head of the team that performed this complex surgery, Prof. Sunil Kumar Singh, said, “The patient came to the hospital with no eyesight in both the eyes. When she was examined, it was found that a large aneurysm had developed in the brain, which was compressing the nerves supplying her eye, causing loss of vision. The aneurysm needed to be clipped on both sides in order to stop it from bursting, but the sheer size of aneurysm was making it very difficult and risky. With possibility of unsuccessful attempts to clipping aneurysm and loss of precious time the team decided to undertake one of the rarest attempts ever undertaken in neurosurgical realm. The case was discussed with Senior CTVS Surgeon of Apollomedics Hospital Dr. Bharat Dubey and his team. After thorough examination, both the teams decided to completely stop the blood flow to the patient in order to clip the artery that was supplying blood to the aneurysm.” Dr Bharat Dubey said, “The patient’s body was brought to a state of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to stop the flow of blood, after which all the blood was removed from the body. Blood was supplied to the patient’s heart and lungs through a heart and lung machine.” Consultant Neurosurgery, Dr PrarthanaSaxena, said Apollomedics, “After bringing the patient to this stage, the doctors had only 30-35 minutes to normalize the blood flow before it caused any brain damage. The team was successful in clipping artery supplying blood to the aneurysm. The blood flow of the body was slowly brought back to normalcy in the patient’s body after the procedure”

Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata gave a new lease of life to three octogenarians by performing Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgeries (MICS). MICS is a new avenue for heart surgery, which comes with a host of benefits. With an incision of 1.5 to 3 inch instead of the 8 to 10 inch incisions that are made in conventional open heart surgery, MICS is less painful and almost scar-less. It also involves early recovery with lesser duration of hospital stay post-surgery and early return to normal life. An 85-year-old woman and an 87-year-old man came to Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata with severe chest pain. Individual angiograms revealed critical blockages that could not be treated with angioplasty. Thus, open heart surgery was the only option for both of them. But considering their age, surgery couldn’t be the first choice of treatment. At that age bypass heart surgery isn’t preferable because a major surgery is not dealt with in a very smooth manner and there could be many complications related to the surgery. Through MICS, multi vessel grafting was done in both the patients and both were walking in two days’ time, which was unthinkable if it was done through normal route of cardiac surgery. Present at the occasion, Dr Sushan Mukhopadhyay Director, Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon, Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata, said, “With a record of over 4000 MICS, doctors at Apollo perform cardiac surgeries through minimally invasive techniques. We recently also had an 82-year-old patient with cardiogenic shock, severe aortic valve stenosis, in ventilator, and no urine output for 12 hours. We did trans-catheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI) through MICS. In 48 hours he recovered fully. On further evaluation, it was found that his heart function improved significantly and he is leading a normal life”

Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai has successfully performed the first Kidney Swap Transplant surgery in Navi Mumbai. The swap involved two families, the Sithas from Uran and the Sainis from Sion. The families found hope in each other as due to medical concerns, it became impossible for family members to give kidney to their own kin. In a turn of events, Mrs. Sunanda Sitha, mother of Mr. Rahul Sitha, donated kidney to Mrs. Parvinder Saini, wife of Mr. Gurudev Singh and Mr. Gurudev Singh donated kidney to Mr. Rahul Sitha. For those suffering with end stage kidney diseases, a kidney transplant is the only treatment and those who do not have found a donor, remain on dialysis. A swap transplant attempts to minimize the shortfall of donors. It is an exchange of organs between two families, who cannot donate the organ to their own family member due to incompatibility concerns such as blood group mismatch or HLA mismatch. A swap transplant addresses the acute shortage of organ donation by enlarging the pool of donors who wish to donate to their family members but cannot due to incompatibility issues. Mrs. Sunandha Sitha (49 years) wished to donate a kidney to her son, Mr. Rahul Sitha (28 years) and Mr. Gurudev Saini (64 years) wished to donate a kidney to his wife, Mrs. Parvinder Saini (61 years) but neither Mrs. Sunandha nor Mr. Gurudev were compatible matches with their respective family members. Dr Amolkumar Patil, Consultant, Robotic Urology and Renal Transplant Surgeon, said, “Mr. Gurudev Saini was A+ and his wife was AB+. She had a high titer of donor specific antibodies (DSA) and a high risk of rejection (30 – 40 %). She didn’t find any compatible donor in city of Mumbai for the past 18 months. Similarly, Mr. Rahul Sitha (O+ve) had high titre blood group antibodies. This meant higher cost and higher/ stronger immunosuppression for transplant with increased risk of rejection if he had donated his organ to his mother. With swap transplant, both recipients showed a low titer of DSA and had a high success rate, required less strong drugs and had low chances of infection.” Dr Amit Langote, Consultant, Nephrology and Transplant Physician, said, “Swap transplant is a potential solution for patients with kidney failure who have a family donor but cannot donate due to compatibility issue. In this case, by swapping, both patients got better kidneys with significant low risk of rejection and resulted in a successful procedure to both families.” Mr. Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO, said, “The patients had been looking for a suitable donor for more than a year. A swap transplant helped them find compatible donors. Due to patients and their families’ cooperation and the trust they put in the doctors, we were successful in performing the first swap transplant in Navi Mumbai, giving a second chance at life to two people. Such procedures give a ray of hope for patients with end-stage renal diseases. Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai has been the preferred regional kidney transplant centre attracting patients from distant parts of Maharashtra. Apart from the multi-disciplinary of senior transplant surgeons & senior Nephrologists, we have a high end post-operative care provided in ICU, experienced & qualified nursing staff & medical counsellors to support the progress.”

Apollo Hospitals, Chennai has introduced Cryo Balloon Ablation technology, that offers a solution to a complex and common cardiac rhythm disorder called Atrial Fibrillation. Apollo Hospitals Chennai has successfully performed the first Cryo Balloon Ablation in Chennai on a 64-year-old female patient. As a first in India, the hospital also implanted a Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Device on a 52-year-old female patient following Cryo Balloon Ablation. Interventional Cardiologists and Electrophysiologists from Apollo Hospitals have performed minimally invasive procedures on four patients with atrial fibrillation, using the novel Cryo Balloon Ablation technology, and in one patient, a Left Artial Appendage Closure device was also done. Dr AM Karthigesan, Senior Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at the Apollo Hospitals, Chennai said, “Cryo balloon Ablation for AF is a new interventional procedure that is employed to control heart rhythms that are caused by abnormal electrical signals travelling from the pulmonary veins to the atria.” Read more about Cryo Balloon Ablation technology that saved 4 lives

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Apollo Hospitals Group and Eclipse Group, Africa, to establish a cancer treatment center in the Msasani area, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. With this partnership, Apollo Hospitals will provide healthcare services with advanced cancer care treatments. The 60-bedded state-of-the-art cancer center will offer comprehensive cancer care right from diagnosis to treatment. It will offer medical, surgical, and radiation treatment to cancer patients across age groups, from pediatric to adults. The center will offer best-in-class treatment and care with a team of experienced oncologists, cancer care management and the world’s finest technology, to make quality cancer care accessible to over 55 million people in Tanzania. Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospital Enterprises Ltd, India and Mr. Zahir Damji, Chairman, Eclipse Group Africa, signed the Memorandum of Understanding in presence of Mr. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and Mr. Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, the Indian High Commissioner of India to Tanzania. Announcing the association, Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospital Enterprises Limited said, “In line with our vision to touch billions of lives across the globe and offer the finest quality Apollo clinical excellence, we have partnered with Eclipse Group of Africa to build a quality-driven Apollo Cancer Centre in Tanzania. Together, we will strengthen the healthcare ecosystem of the country and support the citizens of Tanzania and neighbouring countries in accessing quality cancer care without travelling miles for the treatment. This bond of trust and commitment will grow this cancer center by leaps and bounds.” Supporting the change in Tanzania, Mr. Zahir Damji, Chairman, Eclipse Group Africa, said, “Our collaboration with Apollo Hospitalas, a global healthcare leader is a matter of pride and gratitude. With this enterprise, we will invest our energies in the greater good of society. Rising cancer cases and a lack of quality cancer care are prevalent issues in Tanzania. Apollo Hospitals will help us bring about a change and give opportunities to the people of Tanzania to live a healthy and cancer-free life.” On the occasion, Mr. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, said, “The collaboration between Apollo Hospitals, India, and Eclipse Group Africa will strengthen international relations and lay the foundation for many more strong associations to come. It’s a privilege to witness the beginning of a positive change in the healthcare segment in Tanzania. I congratulate both the parties and wish there will be many more great associations in the future. ” According to Mr. Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, the Indian High Commissioner of India to Tanzania, “India and Tanzania have been development partners for several years. An agreement on health and medicine was signed between the two countries in 2002. Health has been an important area of collaboration between the two nations. The tie-up between Apollo Hospitals, India, and Eclipse Group Africa, will provide an opportunity for both India and Tanzania to further improve our cooperation and work together to achieve our shared aspirations of universal access to world-class healthcare.” Apollo Hospitals will also set up an advanced diagnostic center that will offer high-end laboratory, ultrasound, and imaging facilities. Easy access to high-end PET CT, CT and MRI services will enable the right and accurate diagnosis for the broader population of Tanzania.

Apollo Hospitals Group is to set-up a state-of-the-art tertiary care hospital in partnership with Balmer Healthcare, the leading caregiver in Kenya. This partnership will provide quality healthcare for over 47 million people in Kenya and neighboring regions. The state-of-the-art tertiary care hospital will offer comprehensive care in over 20 specialties to Kenyan patients across all age groups, from pediatric to adult. Apollo Hospitals’ highly experienced medical specialists, supported by Balmer Healthcare, will enhance access to complex procedures and treatments for Kenyans. In this partnership, Apollo Hospitals will execute the project in four phases, namely, technical consulting services and strategic direction of the project; project management and monitoring; project commissioning; and brand operations management. Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospital Enterprises Limited, India and Mr. David Langat, Chairman, Balmer Healthcare Limited, signed the Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of Mr. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and Mr Rohit Vadhwana, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Kenya. Announcing the collaboration, Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospital Enterprises Limited, said “At the core of Apollo, our main priority is to support as many lives as possible across the globe. Apollo Hospitals is the largest hospital group in Asia with over 75 hospitals in India and is a destination for many Kenyans seeking treatment in India. With the recent foray into Nairobi, we plan to give our reliable ‘Tender Loving Care’ with expertise and customized treatments to Kenyans. Apollo will bring about change in the healthcare segment of Nairobi. We will stand together with Balmer Healthcare to treat and make the lives of Kenyans better. ” Mr. David Langat, Chairman of Balmer Healthcare Limited, said, “We are pleased to sign this Memorandum of Understanding with Apollo Hospitals, the global leader in healthcare, and a uniquely integrated healthcare enterprise. We have lots of Kenyans going to India for treatment, but we are now bringing India to them. Patients will now experience the same world-class and quality healthcare services but from their own country.” On the occasion, Mr. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, said, “It is a matter of pride to witness an esteemed collaboration between Apollo Hospitals, India and Balmer Healthcare, to strengthen international relations and lay the foundation of quality healthcare for the people of Kenya and neighboring regions. I am very sure that this will help and support the lives of millions of Kenyans and encourage many more fruitful associations in the future between India and Nairobi.” According to H. E. Mr Rohit Vadhwana, Acting High Commissioner of India in Kenya, “India and Kenya have strong historic relationship of mutual respect and cooperation. India is a leading trade and investment partner of Kenya and Indian healthcare industry has played an active role in this country. The tie-up between Apollo Hospitals, India, and Balmer Healthcare, will provide an opportunity for both India and Kenya to further strengthen our cooperation in the sector and work together to achieve our shared aspirations of universal access to world-class and affordable healthcare services.” Apollo Hospitals works in sync with the governments and partners to establish world-class healthcare facilities and to enhance the existing healthcare services. As Asia’s integrated private healthcare services provider, Apollo Hospitals is inspiring the young to become high-quality clinicians, and is supporting nations and business enterprises to build quality healthcare ecosystems.

Apollo Proton Cancer Centre has performed two unique robotic assisted surgeries to save lives of Bangladeshi patients suffering from cancer. Robot-assisted surgery integrates advanced technology with the experience of skilled surgeons to help the patient to have a smoother and faster recovery from major operations, reduces instances of infections, and patient’s length of stay at the facility. The first case was a low grade Mucoepidermoid carcinoma in the lower end of trachea in a 14-year-old boy. He presented with acute respiratory distress and was diagnosed with a tracheal tumor in Bangladesh, which was completely blocking the right main stem bronchus. At Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, under the care of Surgical Oncologist (Thoracic) & Robotic Surgeon, post evaluation with bronchoscopy, results showed residual tumor on the right anterolateral wall of the trachea about 2 cm from the carina. To treat the disease, he underwent robotic-assisted tracheal resection and reconstruction plus comprehensive mediastinal nodal dissection. Post-operatively, he recovered steadily without any complication and post-op bronchoscopy showed complete healing of the surgical site of the trachea. A 53-year-old gentleman complained of bleeding per rectum with hemoglobin of 4 due to Colon Cancer. While discussing the case, it was discovered that he had history of Myocardial Infarction (heart attack) and had an angioplasty done recently in March 2022 with ejection fraction of only 35 percent. Thorough evaluation also diagnosed thyroid cancer. The patient’s current condition posed high risk because of his cardiac status and dual malignancy. After cardiology consultation and anesthesia consultation, he was treated with Robotic Radical Right Hemicolectomy and conventional right Hemithyroidectomy by the Surgical Oncologist & Robotic Surgery team. Read more about the two unique cancer cases treated by Apollo Proton Cancer Centre.

The parents of a four-month-old baby flew 5000 km from Mauritius to Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai for treatment of a life-threatening heart defect that had left the baby unable to feed and was leading to congestive cardiac failure. The baby was a suspected case of congenital rubella syndrome that had caused Patent Ductus Arteriosus, a birth defect of the heart. As a result of the defect, the infant’s heart had a volume overload with congestive cardiac failure. Dr Bhushan Chavan, Consultant, Paediatrics and Paediatric Cardiology at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai said, “The case was complicated. The infant had been in the NICU for two long months in Mauritius. He had failed to thrive and his weight at four months of age was the same as at birth, just 2.5 kilos. We were fortunate that he managed the long journey from Mauritius without any major issues. After admission, the baby was thoroughly evaluated and it was found that the PDA was of significant size for the baby. The standard of care for large PDAs with significant blood flow is closure using either surgical or transcatheter methods. Due to the low weight, it was decided to go in for a minimally invasive interventional closure of the PDA in our advanced Cath-Lab.” Mr Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO Western Region, Apollo Hospitals said, “We are elated that we kept the faith that the parents of the infant had shown in our capabilities, flying the infant miles across the ocean to bring him into our care. It is very rewarding to see our team of doctors who always show a positive attitude and presence of mind to innovate and successfully overcome various clinical challenges that come up during such complicated surgeries. This success is once again a testament to the quality of care and clinical excellence at Apollo Hospitals that is at par with the best in the world! Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai has been undertaking multiple pediatric cardiac screening camps in remote parts of Maharashtra and has undertaken 305 cases as on date including a few very complex and challenging cases.” Read more about how Apollo Hospitals gave a new lease of life to the pre-term baby from Mauritius.

Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. has acquired a hospital in Gurugram, situated on hospital zoned land, with a potential of 650 beds. The acquisition is a momentous milestone in Apollo Hospitals’ stellar journey in healthcare in India, and marks the entry of the group in the state of Haryana. The hospital will establish the group’s presence in the millennium city of Gurugram, one of India’s fastest growing cities, with an aspirational populace, and substantial brand equity for Apollo Hospitals, owing to its existing footprint in the region. The upcoming integrated healthcare complex located on the Golf Course Road at Gurugram would be commissioned in a span of 24 months. It would endeavour to extend advanced clinical solutions and services to the citizens of the state and the country through its experienced faculty and international collaborations, and will strongly position the city as an international healthcare destination. The Gurugram facility would also be at the centre of incubating advancements in digital healthcare, Healthcare accelerators and start-ups and contribute towards the country’s healthcare eco system, propelling the country and the state of Haryana towards leading healthcare practices and world-class healthcare. The Apollo Hospitals Group has always worked towards building a fully operating ecosystem in all its geographies, and will accordingly work towards pollinating the benefits of advanced healthcare towards the remotest corners of the state of Haryana and would work closely with the State Government towards meeting the goals and targets put forth by the Government in its health policy vision for the state. With 650 potential beds, Apollo Hospitals will offer its truly differentiated clinical programs in key Centers of Excellence, cutting-edge technology, sub-specialties and its inherent Clinical Excellence – not just for the residents of the city, but for all people in the National Capital Region and overseas as well. Commenting on the development, Dr Prathap C Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “I am delighted that Apollo Hospitals has added to its presence in the North, a key area of focus for us. We are very grateful to the Government of Haryana for having welcomed us. Apollo as a group has always endeavored to offer inclusive healthcare across locations where we have been present. We are committed to bringing our proven focus on outstanding clinical outcomes, along with the best of the Apollo Hospitals ecosystem – including preventive health, pharmacies, day surgery centers, birthing centers, primary care facilities and diagnostics, home care, geriatric care, rehabilitation, assisted living etc., all tied together by India’s largest digital healthcare platform, Apollo 24/7 – to foster the seamless delivery of holistic Healthcare in the state, and to position the state as the forerunner in Medical Value Travel. We are also confident that our presence will further boost the local economy, generate highly skilled healthcare as well as allied jobs. We will endeavor to stimulate innovation, and create an unparalleled atmosphere of excellence, research, learning and healing. We look forward to making a significant contribution towards improving the well-being of the citizens of Haryana.” The acquisition not only cements a strong footprint for Apollo Hospitals in the North, but most importantly will bring together cutting-edge clinical programs, technology, international and national collaborations and research to deliver best-in-class clinical outcomes for our patients and engender well-being and community health, while stimulating skilled job creation in the local geography.

A 93-year-old patient underwent a life-saving surgery after he was found to have multiple severe blocks in the arteries supplying blood to his brain and right carotid artery as it was 99% blocked. The patient was having frequent episodes of falls and giddiness and was suffering from hypertension and bronchial asthma for long years. Dr. V. Balaji, Senior Vascular and Endo Vascular Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai said, “Blockage in the blood vessel going to the brain can be cleared to prevent stroke. This procedure is called carotid endarterectomy. Our department has performed more than 700 such procedures in the last twenty years very specifically under regional anaesthesia which reduces post-operative complications to minimum. Our post-operative success rates over the years have been more than 99% which exceeds any western institutions and the cost of the procedure is only one third when compared to western units.” Ms. Suneeta Reddy, MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “Stroke affects approximately 1.8 million people a year in India and it is undoubtedly the most disabling disease in addition to causing death in some cases. Every 20 seconds, one Indian suffers a brain stroke, or three every minute, and the numbers are increasing alarmingly due to changing lifestyles. The most disheartening thing is 90 per cent of stroke patients failed to reach hospital on time. We need to create more awareness that treatment for brain strokes cannot start at home and the patient should have medical attention within the golden hour.” Read more about India’s first Awake Carotid Endarterectomy procedure

Doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru have successfully conducted a Robotic Pediatric Cardiac Surgery on a nine-year-old boy diagnosed to have a hole in the heart. If left untreated, the boy faced the risk of irreversible damage to his lungs and heart. The team of doctors led by Dr. Sathyaki Nambala, Chief Surgeon, Robotic and Minimally, Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, successfully completed the surgery in 60 minutes. This Robot assisted cardiac surgery is a first of its kind in the country, in the given pediatric age group. A hole in the heart which is medically known as Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) impacts blood flow, and is a heart defect present at birth. In serious cases, ASD can cause threat to the functioning of both the heart and lungs in the long run. Factors which may play a role in the development of ASD include certain medical conditions and medications, genetics, lifestyle, to name a few. Sharing his thoughts on this first of its kind Robotic pediatric cardiac surgery, Dr. Sathyaki Nambala said, “When the 9-year-old patient visited Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, he was diagnosed with Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). However, owing to the condition and anatomy of the defect, the only option to address the case was thought to be an Open Heart Surgery. On further analysis and evaluation of the case, the team at Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru arrived at the decision to proceed with a Robotic closure of the defect or robotic cardiac surgery.” He further added, “The completion of this Robot assisted surgery is a milestone achievement in the field of cardiac surgery. The 9-year-old patient is the first to undergo a Robotic Cardiac Surgery in this particular pediatric age group in the country and to get discharged with-in 24 hours of surgery” Robotic cardiac surgery is performed through multiple robotic arms with camera assistance, inserted through 8 mm ports. Therefore, the wounds are miniaturized. The two major advantages of robotic surgery over minimally invasive cardiac surgery are that there is no blood loss, there are miniaturized wounds (Approximately 8mm) and no rib spreading during surgery, which makes the post-operative period absolutely painless. The requirement for painkillers after surgery is also very minimal, enabling faster recovery and paving the way for discharge within 24 hours post-surgery.