KOCHI: Gynaecologists are turning to robotic surgery to treat cancers that affect women as they say it dramatically reduces the average hospital stay to one day from five to six days. Robotic surgeries are increasingly being used to do complex hysterectomies and weed out cancerous growths, especially ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and endometrial cancer. “In complicated surgeries, robots give better visuals and better instruments and reduces complications,” says Dr Anupama Rajanbabu, professor gynecologic oncology and robotic surgeon at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, “There is less blood loss and tissue damage,” says Dr Anupama who has done over 200 robotic surgeries involving endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, early ovarian cancer.

Doctors say the robotic tool is advantageous to treat benign conditions too. “Robotic surgeries are used in both benign and malignant gynaecological conditions. It is especially useful when there is difficult surgery which requires great precision and expertise,” says Dr Sabhyata Gupta, director, gynaecology, of Medanta Medcity, Gurgaon, and the first gynaecologist in the country to do robotic surgery for cancerous and benign conditions in her field. According to Dr Gupta, robotic surgery is being used in procedures such as myomectomy (surgical removal of fibroids), difficult hysterectomies (removal of uterus), clearance of endometriosis (a painful tissue disorder of the uterus) and repair of the vesico vaginal fistula (an abnormal opening), which are all benign conditions.

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To treat malignant cancers and tumours, of course, robotic surgery is now fast becoming the preferred option as it scores over conventional surgery in terms of minimizing blood loss, drastically reducing post operative recovery time and bringing precision to the procedure, thus saving healthy tissue from damage. “Robotic surgery’s biggest benefit in cancer surgeries is better patient outcomes. Patients undergoing robotic surgery also report reduced pain,” said Dr Rooma Sinha, gynaecologist, laparoscopic and robotic surgeon, urogynaecologist, at Apollo Health City in Hyderabad. Doctors say that despite rise in preventive healthcare and medical progress, cancer is advancing brutally among women.