Robotic Surgery in Surat What to Expect
Robotic surgery is keyhole surgery in which the surgeon controls precise instruments from a console. Gujarat Hospital uses robotic surgery for cancer surgery, appendix, gallbladder, hernia and bariatric operations in suitable patients.
What is Robotic Surgery?
The robot does not operate by itself. The surgeon sits at a console with a magnified three-dimensional view and controls the instruments, which move with a full range of motion and without tremor, through small incisions. This is particularly useful for delicate work in confined spaces such as the pelvis and around blood vessels.
For patients the benefits are those of keyhole surgery - small scars, less pain, shorter hospital stay and quicker return to normal activity - with the surgeon's precision enhanced. It is offered where our surgeons judge it to be the right approach; open and conventional laparoscopic surgery remain the right choice for some patients and operations. See Dr. Gabani's videos on how robotic surgery is done and its benefits.
At Gujarat Gastro & Vascular Hospital in Adajan, Surat, the robotic surgery system is used for cancer surgery, appendix, gallbladder stones, hernia and bariatric surgery in suitable patients. Surgery is never the first step: the approach is decided with you after the diagnosis is clear, and the reason for recommending the robot is explained before you consent.
Which Operations Are Done Robotically?
Our surgeons use the robotic system for:
- Cancer operations on the colon, rectum, stomach and other digestive organs See: cancers of the digestive system · colon and rectal conditions
- Removal of the gallbladder for stones See: gallstones
- Hernia repair, including complex and recurrent hernias See: hernia
- Appendicectomy See: appendicitis
- Bariatric (weight-loss) surgery See: bariatric (weight-loss) surgery
- Selected liver and pancreatic operations
Whether the robot is the right approach for you depends on the operation, your anatomy and any previous surgery. Your surgeon explains the choice before consent.
Your Robotic Surgery Stay: Step by Step
Robotic surgery is a planned operation. The stay follows the same path as keyhole surgery, from the first consultation to follow-up in clinic; how long you stay depends on the operation being done.
- Assessment and decision
Your condition is diagnosed first. The surgeon then discusses why robotic surgery is recommended for you, its benefits, risks and alternatives, and you decide together.
- Pre-operative tests and anaesthetic check
Pre-operative assessment, blood tests and anaesthetic review as for any operation. You receive written fasting instructions and advice on which regular medicines to adjust.
- Admission
Admission at the main hospital in Adajan, fasting as instructed.
- The operation
Under general anaesthesia, small ports are placed and the robotic arms are docked to them. The surgeon operates from the console beside you, with a surgical assistant and the anaesthetist at the table throughout (described in the next section).
- Hospital stay and going home
You are walking the same or next day. The length of stay depends on the operation. Follow-up is in clinic - at Adajan or at the OPD nearest you - and, for cancer operations, a joint plan for further treatment is made.
What Happens During Robotic Surgery
General anaesthesia is given
Small ports are placed through the abdominal wall and the robotic arms are docked to them
The surgeon operates from the console beside you; a surgical assistant and the anaesthetist are at the table throughout
The operation proceeds as in laparoscopic surgery, with the added precision of the robotic instruments
Ports are removed and the small incisions closed
What you will feel - and what you won't. You are under general anaesthesia for the whole operation and feel nothing. Afterwards there is soreness at the small wound sites and sometimes a sense of bloating from the gas used to create working space; both are controlled with pain relief and ease over the following days. Because the muscles of the abdominal wall are not cut, most patients are up and walking early and need less pain medicine than after open surgery.
How to Prepare for Robotic Surgery
- The same preparation as any operation. Pre-operative assessment, blood tests and anaesthetic review as for any operation. Fasting instructions and medicine adjustments as advised by the surgical team.
- Understand why the robot is recommended. A discussion of why robotic surgery is recommended for you, its benefits, risks and alternatives. Ask anything that is unclear; open and laparoscopic surgery remain options for some patients.
These are general points. The written instructions you receive from the hospital for your own procedure take priority - see also Patient Information.
After Robotic Surgery: Recovery & Follow-up
The first days. Recovery is similar to laparoscopic surgery: walking the same or next day, and a hospital stay that depends on the operation. Small wound sites heal within days.
Getting back to normal. Return to normal activity is usually faster than after open surgery. Your surgeon tells you when to resume work, driving and heavy lifting.
Follow-up. Follow-up in clinic and, for cancer operations, a joint plan for further treatment with the medical gastroenterology and oncology teams.
Is Robotic Surgery Safe?
The risks are those of the operation itself - bleeding, infection, injury to nearby organs, anaesthetic risks - not additional risks of the robot.
In a small number of cases the surgeon may need to convert to open surgery for safety.
Robotic surgery takes slightly longer to set up than laparoscopic surgery.
Contact the hospital if you develop fever, increasing pain, redness or discharge at a wound, vomiting or difficulty passing urine after you go home.
After a procedure, contact the hospital at once for severe pain, fever, vomiting, bleeding or breathlessness: Emergency 24×7: 90333 62020
Alternatives to Robotic Surgery
Conventional laparoscopic surgery, which is equally effective for many operations.
Open surgery, still preferred for some situations.
Non-surgical treatment where appropriate for the condition.
Why Choose Gujarat Hospital for Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery is only as good as the surgeon at the console and the team around the table. At Gujarat Gastro & Vascular Hospital, Adajan, Surat:
- A robotic surgery system. The surgeon works from a console while the robotic arms enter through small incisions. It is used for cancer surgery, appendix, gallbladder stones, hernia and bariatric surgery in suitable patients.
- A surgeon with fellowship training in robotic surgery. Dr. Naresh Gabani, Consultant Surgical Gastroenterologist & GI Robotic Surgeon, holds the FICRS Fellowship in Robotic Surgery; Dr. Sanket Sherekar, Consultant Colorectal and Anorectal Surgeon, holds the FALS Robotic qualification for laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery.
- The robot is used only where it is the right choice. Most operations here are laparoscopic or robotic, with open surgery where that is safer. The approach is chosen for your operation and anatomy, not for the technology.
- Diagnosis and surgery in one department. The medical gastroenterology team and the endoscopy suite are on the same campus, so the diagnosis, the decision about surgery and the operation are planned together.
Frequently Asked Questions about Robotic Surgery
Does the robot perform the surgery?
No. The surgeon performs every movement; the robot is a precision instrument under the surgeon's continuous control.
Which operations are done with the surgical robot at Gujarat Hospital?
The robotic system is used for cancer operations on the digestive organs, appendicectomy, removal of the gallbladder for stones, hernia repair and bariatric surgery, in patients the surgeon judges suitable. Selected liver and pancreatic operations are also done robotically. The surgeon confirms whether your operation is one of them.
Is robotic surgery safer?
It is as safe as laparoscopic surgery and offers greater precision in certain operations. The outcome depends on the surgeon and the case, not on the technology alone.
Do I need to prepare differently for robotic surgery?
No. The preparation is the same as for any operation: pre-operative assessment, blood tests, an anaesthetic review, fasting instructions and medicine adjustments as advised by the surgical team. The only difference is the discussion of why the robot is recommended for you.
Does it cost more?
Costs vary by operation. Our staff will explain the estimate for your procedure and what it includes.
Why might a laparoscopic or open operation be recommended instead of the robot?
The surgeon chooses the approach that is safest and most effective for your particular operation and anatomy. Some procedures gain little extra from robotic instruments, dense scarring from previous surgery or an emergency situation can favour conventional methods, and certain patients cannot tolerate the positioning required. The reason for the recommendation is explained to you before consent.
Who is in the theatre during robotic surgery?
The surgeon sits at the console beside you and controls every movement of the instruments. A surgical assistant and the anaesthetist are at the table throughout, and the theatre nursing team is present as in any operation. If it is ever safer, the surgeon can convert to laparoscopic or open surgery during the same anaesthetic.
Is robotic surgery suitable for elderly patients?
Age alone is not a barrier. Keyhole approaches, including robotic surgery, often suit older patients well because of the smaller wounds, less pain and earlier walking, which reduce chest and clot complications. Fitness for general anaesthesia is what matters, and it is assessed for every patient beforehand.
The information on this page is for general patient education and does not replace individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical Disclaimer