SS Innovations International, a developer of surgical robotic technologies, made telesurgery history with two world-first robotic cardiac telesurgeries in India in two days.
Both surgeries were conducted by remote connection from company headquarters in Gurugram to Manipal Hospital, Jaipur, a distance of 268km, using the SSi Mantra 3 Surgical Robotic System.
The first telesurgery procedure, a remotely conducted robotic-assisted internal mammary artery harvesting procedure was successfully completed in 58 minutes.
The surgical team was led by SS Innovations founder, chairman and CEO, Dr Sudhir Srivastava from the company’s headquarters in Gurugram, and supported by Manipal Hospital Chief of Cardiac Surgery Dr Lalit Malik, along with his team at the remote location in Jaipur.
Dr Sudhir Srivastava said: “With the recent CDSCO approval for telesurgery using SSi Mantra, we have not just advanced technology; we have fulfilled our mission to democratise 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.”
SS Innovations said the telesurgery demonstrated precision with a low latency of just 35-40 milliseconds (less than 1/20 th of a second).
The procedure was followed by a Robotic Beating Heart Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass (TECAB), performed by telesurgery under the same collaboration, also with a low latency of just 40 milliseconds.
The SSi Mantra 3 Surgical Robotic System is the only robotic system in the world to have received regulatory approval for telesurgery and tele-proctoring. Approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), this validation opens the door to remote surgeries and medical education, enabling healthcare professionals to collaborate across distances.
“We are extremely thrilled to have advanced the capabilities of surgery to benefit humanity, especially in areas that need it the most,” Dr Srivastava said.
“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 has the potential to be transformative.
“Telesurgery brings world-class surgical expertise directly to underserved communities, eliminating the need for patients to travel long distances to urban centres for specialised care. It ensures timely interventions while reducing logistical and financial burdens on families,” he said.
