A 64-year-old Andheri resident, S Rahul (name changed), underwent prostate cancer surgery last week with a near-total probability of cure. However, what made the procedure remarkable was that the lead surgeon was neither in the operating theatre nor in the hospital — and not even in the country.
Surgeon Operates from 8,000 km Away
Onco-urologist Dr T B Yuvaraja, attached to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Andheri, performed the surgery remotely from Shanghai, nearly 8,000 km away. Using an internet-enabled console, he controlled robotic arms positioned in the operating theatre in Mumbai.
“I could sit at the console in my consulting room and operate on the patient in the OT,” Dr Yuvaraja said, highlighting the precision and reliability of the technology.
A Growing Momentum for Tele-Robotic Surgery
Interestingly, just a day before the Shanghai–Mumbai procedure, doctors from HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Girgaon, carried out another remote robotic surgery at a community medical centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on December 23.
Commenting on this shift, Dr Tarang Gianchandani of HN Reliance Foundation Hospital said that for decades, specialised surgical care remained concentrated in a handful of urban centres, depriving millions of timely treatment. According to her, tele-robotic surgery is transforming the delivery of complex surgical care across India, driven by indigenous innovation, advanced robotics, and secure digital infrastructure.
Bridging the Global Surgery Access Gap
Globally, access to surgery remains a major challenge. Studies estimate that nearly five billion people worldwide lack access to safe and affordable surgical care. In this context, tele-robotic surgery offers a powerful solution by enabling expert surgeons to operate on patients located far away.
Although tele-robotic surgery began in India only last year, fewer than 200 such procedures have been performed so far. However, momentum is building. Recently, SS Innovations International Inc, which developed India’s first indigenous surgical robotic system, SSII Mantra, announced the successful completion of 100 robotic telesurgeries.
Cost, Legal, and Cybersecurity Concerns Remain
Despite its promise, tele-robotic surgery raises concerns related to costs, legal accountability, and cybersecurity. Currently, the use of robotic systems adds ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh to the cost of surgery. Even so, clinicians believe that the overall financial burden on families could reduce.
“If I operate from Mumbai on a patient admitted to our hospital in Indore, the patient and family do not need to travel,” Dr Yuvaraja explained. “In that sense, the total expenditure becomes lower.” He also added that telesurgery could significantly enhance surgical teaching and training by allowing real-time learning across locations.
Smarter Robots and Faster Recovery
Earlier generations of surgical robots did not support telesurgery. In contrast, newer robotic platforms now enable remote operations and integrate artificial intelligence, which further enhances surgical precision and safety.
Reflecting the success of the procedure, Rahul was discharged on the third day after surgery, underscoring how technology-driven care can deliver excellent outcomes while reshaping the future of surgery in India.