India Performs World’s First Robotic Cardiac Telesurgeries Across 286 Kilometers

New Delhi: India has achieved a major milestone in medical technology by performing the world’s first robotic cardiac telesurgeries. The procedures, conducted using the SSI Mantra 3 Surgical Robotic System, connected SS Innovations’ headquarters in Gurugram to Manipal Hospital in Jaipur, spanning 286 kilometers.

The first procedure, a Telerobotic-Assisted Internal Mammary Artery Harvesting, was completed remotely in 58 minutes with a latency of 35-40 milliseconds. Dr. Sudhir Srivastava, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of SS Innovations, performed the surgery from Gurugram, supported by Dr. Lalitaditya Malik, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Manipal Hospital, Jaipur, and his team.

The second procedure, a Robotic Beating Heart Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass (TECAB), was also completed remotely with a latency of 40 milliseconds. Both surgeries demonstrated the potential of remote interventions to deliver precise surgical care across long distances.

Dr. Sudhir Srivastava said, “We are extremely thrilled to have advanced the capabilities of surgery to benefit humanity, especially in areas that need it the most. By enabling telesurgery, we can bridge gaps in access to medical expertise and deliver the highest standard of care, regardless of geographical barriers. For a country like India, with its vast rural population and significant healthcare disparities, this innovation is transformative. Telesurgery brings world-class surgical expertise directly to underserved communities, eliminating the need for patients to travel long distances to urban centres for specialized care. It ensures timely interventions while reducing logistical and financial burdens on families. With the recent CDSCO approval for telesurgery using SSI Mantra, we have not just advanced technology; we have fulfilled our mission to democratize access to robotic surgery. Our goal has always been to make advanced surgical care affordable and accessible, and telesurgery now allows us to extend the reach of skilled surgeons to every corner of our nation, fundamentally changing the way healthcare is delivered.”

Dr. Lalitaditya Malik said, “This inter-state robotic cardiac telesurgery marks a leap in enhancing patient care through innovation. The remote robotic-assisted CABG on an elderly patient from Jaipur exemplifies how technology is bridging geographical gaps to provide accurate and timely medical interventions.”

Dr. Fredric Moll, Vice-Chairman of SS Innovations, added, “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Srivastava and the entire SSI team on the successful achievement of performing the world’s first robotic cardiac telesurgeries. It is delightful to see just how far we have come since the inception of surgical robotics more than 20 years ago. As many may recall, the original robotic system was designed to achieve two things, remote surgery and the ability to perform coronary bypass surgery in a complete closed chest approach. My approach was this, if you could perform beating heart bypass surgery with the robot, then all other procedures would be possible. Due to the bandwidth limitations at the time, the telesurgery goal was put on hold while we further broadened the applications of the robotic system across all specialties. I believe that SS Innovations has seized the opportunity, to not only develop the next generation of a surgical robotic system, but to also push the envelope of just what was dreamed more than 20 years ago, achieving a successful demonstration of telesurgery coupled along with a highly complex cardiac surgical procedure. With this achievement, I have no doubt that certainly more opportunities will present themselves as we have now entered into a new paradigm shift towards surgery and how we will soon approach it.”

Mr. Ranjan Thakur, Hospital Director, Manipal Hospital, Jaipur, shared his pride in the accomplishment, saying, “This is a proud moment not just for Rajasthan but for the entire country, as the world’s first robotic cardiac telesurgery has been successfully performed right here at Manipal Hospital, Jaipur. This achievement showcases India’s capabilities in leveraging advanced technology for transformative healthcare. We are honored that our Jaipur unit played a significant role in this historic milestone, further solidifying Manipal Hospital’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge medical care and setting new benchmarks in healthcare excellence.”

These telesurgeries highlight the role of technology in addressing geographical barriers in healthcare. Approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), telesurgery is expected to improve access to specialized medical care and enhance patient outcomes across remote locations.