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Former Vattikuti Fellow Evaluates India's First Surgical Robot
23 March 2024
Dr. Kushal Agrawal, former VF Fellow, is part of a team from the Aster International Institute of Oncology who have produced two of the first reports on the SSI Mantra surgical robot published recently in the International Journal of Advanced Robotic and Innovative Surgery. He is the Corresponding Author for: Experience-based Procedure Card for Robotic-assisted Low Anterior Resection Using Indian SSI Mantra Robot. They report on procedures done on 32- rectal cancer patients who were operated on with the SSI Mantra robotic system.
Results are encouraging, here is a short excerpt: "With no open surgery conversions and positive outcomes in operative times, blood loss, and oncological measures, this resource aids surgeons in adopting robotic techniques for rectal cancer surgeries..."*


The journal article, according to the Authors, is the first to provide procedure cards for the SSI Mantra. It includes descriptions of port placement, as well as photos and diagrams of their team's set up of the SSI Mantra. In addition, photos are showing the instruments inside the body. The suggested procedural steps for Low Anterior Resection are also included. Here is the link for the complete article: https://journals.lww.com/iais/fulltext/2023/01020/experience_based_procedure_card_for.6.aspx
The second effort studied 50-endometrial cancer patients undergoing Modified Radical Hysterectomy with Indocyanine green (ICXG) Dye-based Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy.
The team was led by VF Mentor Surgeon Dr. Somashekhar SP.
From the Abstract:
"Endometrial carcinoma ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer among women in India. The use of robotic surgery in gynecological procedures was authorized by the FDA in 2005. SSI Mantra, an Indian robotic system, distinguishes itself with a 3D 4K panoramic camera and the advantage of seven degrees of robotic arm movement. Drawing from our experience, we developed a procedure card detailing a modified radical hysterectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy using the SSI Mantra system." **
