World’s first human telerobotic coronary intervention surgery in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad Dec 5 (UNI) India on Wednesday achieved an important breakthrough in the history of medical science with the world’s first-in-human telerobotic coronary intervention surgery by Dr. Tejas Patel, Chairman and Chief Interventional Cardiologist of the Apex Heart Institute at Ahmedabad.

He used Path technology of Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc of America to conduct the first-in-human (FIH) telerobotic coronary intervention. This is the world’s First Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) conducted from a remote location outside of the catherization lab.

The PCI procedure was performed by Dr. Patel from Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar located at a distance of roughly 32 km from catherization lab in Ahmedabad, where the patient, a middle aged woman from Kalol area with heart ailment was admitted.

The success of this study paves the way for large-scale, long-distance telerobotic platforms across the globe. Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijaybhai Rupani also saw the procedure, in which the blockage from the coronary was removed and a stent was fitted, live in the temple premises.

Later talking to newsmen Dr Patel,said, “The first-in-human case of remote robotic PCI represents a landmark event for interventional medicine. Cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, are the number one cause of death worldwide resulting in nearly 18 million deaths per year. The application of telerobotics in India has the potential to impact a significant number of lives by providing access to care that may not otherwise have been possible. I am honoured for contributing to this historic groundbreaking research which is going to earn a lot of glory and global respect for my country.”

He said that he chose a temple for the procedure because he was under stress about the outcome of the first such surgery and risks involved. W hen he was instructing the robot for the intervention through 100 MBPS Internet, several other doctors were present on the other end. The procedure can be done even if the net speed was 20mbps.

He said that the intervention was costly initially like any other new technology or product but it would definitely become affordable for even middle class in a few years time.

Telerobotic coronary interventional platform has the potential to dramatically improve patient access for both elective and emergent percutaneous coronary interventions and stroke in rural and underserved populations. 

It will reduce time to treatment for emergent procedures such as STEMI and stroke and will also reduce variability in operator skills and thus, improve clinical outcomes.

Mark Toland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Corindus, was also present on the occasion.