SIUT Acquires Two Robotic Surgical Units

KARACHI: Two robotic surgical units have been acquired by the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) to provide state of the art surgical facilities to its patients.

The Versius Robotic System has been developed by Cambridge Medical Robotics (CMR) and is currently used at many centres across Europe, South America, the Middle East and India. Robotic platforms allow surgeons to perform technically complex procedures with greater precision.

Robotic surgery is often thought of as the next generation of surgical sciences. Robotic procedures are associated with less pain, less loss of blood and a faster recovery. Patients are discharged in a short time and can resume regular activities.

Spokesperson SIUT said installing the new facility “as a breakthrough” as this technology will open new avenues towards patient care. At SIUT, these patients will get high tech, state-of-the-art treatment at no cost.

The first few robotic surgeries on this new system were performed on November 4th, 2021, with stellar results. Since then, robotic surgeries have been done daily.

SIUT had embarked on its robotic surgical program in 2017 in collaboration with Civil Hospital Karachi, sharing a robot acquired by the former years earlier. The installation of two new units will enable the surgeons at SIUT to perform surgeries on a more significant number of patients independently. Open, laparoscopic, and other routine surgeries, along with emergency services, will carry on around the clock uninterrupted.

The Versius system will be used by SIUT’s urologists, followed soon by hepatobiliary, gynaecological and colorectal surgeons. SIUT also plans to set up a regional robotic surgical training programme to train the next generation of surgeons in this emerging technology.

SIUT’s automated programme is unique as nowhere in the world is free robotic surgery offered to all comers, including the poorest segments in the society. This is in line with the institute’s vision of providing cutting-edge healthcare free of cost to patients with dignity, irrespective of their caste, colour or religious belief.