• Training partnership aims to expand access to robotic-assisted surgery in India

AIIMS New Delhi and India Medtronic Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medtronic plc, announced the opening of a state-of-the-art surgical robotics training center at AIIMS, New Delhi. The center will provide surgeons with best-in-class training in robotic-assisted surgery. It is the first such center at AIIMS utilizing Medtronic’s Hugo^TM robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system, which was first introduced in India in September 2021. The new training partnership was announced in the presence of i Dr. Minu Bajpa, HOD Paediatric Surgery and Dean Academics, AIIMS and Michael Blackwell, Vice President & Managing Director, Medtronic India. The partnership brings together novel technology and decades of surgical expertise to train surgeons nationwide and expand access to the benefits of RAS.

RAS is an emerging medical technology that can help standardize surgical procedures and enable surgeons in performing complex surgeries.  The training center will offer a broad spectrum of training to enhance the knowledge and skill set in RAS, ranging from basic skills training to procedural training to more advanced and specialized areas in soft-tissue surgery. The training will help impart procedural knowledge skills using surgical robotics among surgeons, fellows, and residents from across the country.

“Medtronic’s partnership with AIIMS is a cornerstone of our commitment to make the benefits of RAS available to more patients in India. Together, we will make training and education on the latest technology more accessible and enhance the skill sets of both current and the next generation of surgeons,” said Michael Blackwell, Vice President & Managing Director, Medtronic India.

“Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to perform complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control than is possible with conventional techniques. Though surgical robots have been around for many years, the adoption has been limited due to multiple factors, training being one among them. Surgical robotics and artificial intelligence are already changing the way surgical care is delivered.  This initiative will pave the way for surgeons to progress from open and laparoscopic surgery to advanced RAS and will shorten their learning curve to master robotic techniques,“ said Dr. Minu Bajpai, HOD Paediatric Surgery and Dean Academics, AIIMS.

The Hugo^TM RAS system is a modular, multi-quadrant platform designed for a broad range of soft-tissue procedures. It combines wristed instruments, 3D visualization, and Touch Surgery™ Enterprise, a cloud-based surgical video capture and management solution, with dedicated support teams specializing in robotics program optimization, service, and training. It is designed to bring the benefits of minimally invasive surgery — fewer complications, smaller scars, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to normal activities^1–3,† — to more patient around the world. And, in doing so, help address global inequities in access to care.