Bengaluru, 16 January 2023:Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road announced the successful completion of 500 Robotic aided Urology procedures in an event held in the city today. The urology team at FortisHospitals, Bengaluru led by Dr. Mohan Keshavamurthy,has completed 500 robotic surgeries in 53 months of the installation of Da Vinci surgical system at Fortis Bannerghatta. The 500 robot-aided surgeries include complex robotic procedures encompassing the entire gamut of Uro-Oncology, Uro-Gynaecology, Reconstructive Urology, Kidney Transplantetc. The hospital also announced the launch of BK ultrasound MRI Fusion Biopsy solution, a game changer inProstate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Robot-aided surgery is a minimally invasive procedure which allows surgeons to have better vision, precision, and control while performing the surgeries. Other benefits include decreased pain, fewer post-operative infectionsand less scarring. Recovery is rapid, with minimalhospital stay, faster mobilisation and rehabilitation. Reducing the chance of infection makes it an ideal procedure for people with diabetes and other co-morbidities.

On the other hand, bkFusion is a fast, flexible, and effective MRI-ultrasound fusion prostate biopsy solution. It fuses real-time ultrasound with MRI images of the prostate to provide urologists with clear visualization to help them accurately target lesions identified on the MRI, potentially reducing the risk of missing high-grade tumors or under-staging tumors for active surveillance. According to a recent report, bkFusion has an 84% positive detection rate for prostate cancer and bkFusion biopsies have been recorded to be as fast as seven minutes.

Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy, Director, Urology, Uro-oncology, Uro-gynaecology, Andrology, Transplant & Robotic Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, and Chairman, Renal Sciences Specialty Council, Fortis Hospitals, India said, “We have been employing Da Vinci Robotic Surgical platform provided by Intuitive, the latest frontier in the world of surgery since many years. Our urology team with great expertise in the related domain has in fact successfully carried out 500 robotic urology procedures since its introduction in the year 2017.This momentous milestone has been achieved in just

53 months, despite 2 years of COVID disruption. As part of our endeavor to provide latest technological innovations and advanced systems of care for enhanced patient experience, we have now introduced the latest and most promising advancement, BK ultrasound MRI Fusion Biopsy solution, to improve the early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer that has not been diagnosed by the standard technique of prostate biopsy. We are confident that this solution will be a valuable asset for our organization and look forward to its positive impact on patient outcomes.”

Mr. Akshay Oleti, Business Head, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru said, “My heartiest congratulations to Dr. Mohan and his entire Urology team. 500 robotic surgeries in just 53 months is indeed a milestone worth all our praise. The record time achievement itself speaks volumes about the clinical acumen and capabilities of our Urology team. We are committed to providing our patients with the highest quality of care using the most advanced technologies available. With the introduction of BK ultrasound MRI Fusion Biopsy Solution, we are hopeful to see excellent clinical outcomes in patients. This innovative solution represents the future of healthcare, and we are proud to be at the forefront by introducing this technological advancement, for the first time in India” 

Talking about the Da Vinci robotic surgical system,Mr. Mandeep Singh Kumar, Vice President & Country GM, Intuitive Indiasaid, “This is indeed an exemplary milestone, and we are glad to have played a role in this achievement. At Intuitive, our goal is to empower surgeons to heal without constraints and to achieve better patient outcomes. This accomplishment is a true testament to that. Dr. Keshavamurthy’s dedication and expertise, a well-knit robotic surgery team, and advanced da Vinci RAS technology coupled with Intuitive’s ecosystem development have been the key drivers towards this achievement. In addition, we are proud of our general association with the Fortis group of hospitals. We share similar goals of making robotic surgery more accessible and offering its benefits to the greater patient community.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ram Narayan, Director – Healthware India said, “It is our privilege to join the launch of BK ultrasound MRI Fusion Biopsy. At Healthware, our goal is to provide value added services and our primary responsibility is to the people who use our products. This cutting-edge technology has the potential to improve the early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer and we are confident that this technology will be utilized to its fullest by Dr. Mohan Keshavamurthy and his team. We look forward to the positive impact it will have on the on the lives of patients.”

During the event, several patients shared their story– the smooth surgery carried out robotically as well as the sheer dedication of all the surgeons involved in the process. One such patient was 12-year-old Kanika who was suffering from end stage renal disease along with other co-morbidities and has been on hemodialysis since a year which made herrobotic transplant surgerya challenging one. The expert team of doctors successfully conducted her surgery and she was discharged in a stable health condition.

Another extraordinary case was that of Mr. Raghavan’s, aged 66. He presented withGrade IIprostate cancer. After pre-operative evaluation and fitness for surgery, a Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy (removal of prostate gland and some of the tissue around it) was performed and then discharged in a stable state post 5 days of the surgery.

About Fortis Healthcare Limited  

Fortis Healthcare Limited – an IHH Healthcare Berhad Company – is a leading integrated healthcare services provider in India. It is one of the largest healthcare organizations in the country with 27 healthcare facilities, 4,300 operational beds and 400 diagnostics centers (including JVs). Fortis is present in India, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nepal & Sri Lanka. The Company is listed on the BSE Ltd and National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India. It draws strength from its partnership with global majorand parent company - IHH, to build upon its culture of world-class patient care and superlative clinical excellence. Fortis employs ~23,000 people (including SRL) who share its vision of becoming the world’s most trusted healthcare network. Fortis offers a full spectrum of integrated healthcare services ranging from clinics to quaternary care facilities and a wide range of ancillary services.