January 20th: Robotic Surgery has always been a thought of the far-fetched future, residing somewhere in a notion or thought, but today we witness the realization of that vision in the state of Goa. With advanced technologies crafted every day, Robotic surgery conveniently performs complex procedures with ease and benefits the patient greatly in terms of post-surgery care and comfort. FARIS – Fellowship in Advanced Robotic & Innovative Surgery, held their first inauguration at the Fairfield by Marriotts, Benaulim, on 20th January 2023. The event began with the welcoming of the dignitaries; Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Dr. Chandrakant Shetye, MLA of Bicholim Constituency, Goa and Shri Ujjal Bhuyan, Chief Justice of the High Court for the State of Telangana.
They also welcomed the internationally invited members starting with Dr. Ranjan Sudan, Professor of Surgery & Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, from Duke University of School Medicine in North Carolina, USA, Dr. C.N Tang, Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Consultant Surgeon, Chief of service in Department of Surgery, Director of Minimal Access Surgery Training Centre, Hong Kong, China Dr. Enrique Elli, Consultant Division of General Surgery, from the Department of Surgery Mayo Clinic, USA. Dr. S. Selvasekar, Consultant Colorectal and Laparoscopic Surgeon from The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Manchester, United Kingdom.
Dr. Subhash Khanna, President of ARIS took over to share a few words of encouragement stating; “It is truly wonderful to be seeing so many like-minded people sitting together to create a healthier tomorrow. I hope this day brings you much-needed knowledge, guidance and visions of better medical healthcare backed by the power of technology. We are bringing the future closer to us as we all gather here in learning, creating and using science with technology to enhance the medical sector. This will allow doctors to work with more precision for complex procedures, along with greater flexibility and more control. As this fellowship sheds light on the great advantage, it is a greater joy for patients as it will assure shorter hospital stays, less risk of infections, less blood loss and most of all less pain during the recovery stage. I wish FARIS all the best in doing their best.”
The event opened its doors virtually from November 2022- December 2022 with the online session by the faculty that covered topics like the Introduction to Robotic Surgery by Prof. Subhash Khanna, Robotic Hardware by Prof. S. M. Hazarika, Robotic Upper GI Surgery by Dr. Arun Prasad, Training and Credentialing in Robotic Surgery by Dr. Vivek Bindal and much more. With a practical approach in Goa, FARIS sessions will be going on until 21st January, 2023, bringing together medical and scientific enthusiasts for three days. Topics such as Surgical challenges and advantages, Dissection techniques in General, Simulation Surgery – Specialty Specific; followed by Master Videos on Robotic TARM by Dr. Arun Prasad, Robotic Esophagectomy by Dr. Raj Nagarkar, Robotic Nephrectomy by Dr. Prasanna Venkatesh, Robotic Ca-Rectum – TME – by Dr. Avanish Saklani, Trans Oral Thyroid by Dr. Amit Agarwal, Robotic High Para aortic Lymphadenectomy by Dr. Somashekar SP and the Tips & Tricks of Establishing a Robotic Unit.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri. Ujjal Bhuyan, Chief Justice of the High Court for the State of Telangana, said, “It is great to see that the next decade of innovation comes alive at this stage in Goa, and I am convinced that this fellowship is going to be a great start to the medical industry. You and I alike all look for medical services that are convenient and comfortable for us, as we wish to feel no pain or go through any more trouble; an initiative like this, definitely makes that possible. With faster, safer, less painful and better results, I look forward to the grand achievements we receive as a reward of everyone’s efforts and dedication.”
Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, then shared his valuable thoughts on this initiative. He said, “You have been here for past 2 days and will be here for 3 more, the Robotic Surgery topic has been dwelled upon for the past few days and I have loved to see the seriousness taken towards this initiative. I know so that in the future in regards to robotic surgery will be a topic for everyone sitting here a more serious and improved one. Robots in the medical field are a great innovation that we need, as we see ourselves moving to the future at such a fast pace.”
Shri Dr. Chandrakant Shetye, MLA of Bicholim Constituency shared his thoughts on the demand for the best medical service stating. “It gives me great nostalgia to be here, as a doctor in this space, with the opportunity to be able to address everyone here; all the surgeons, medical students and the like. When I was young, I always thought there were no reason to invest in machine but then I realized it was important and so we started investing in Phaco Surgery. The demand for medical services have increased, as people are willing to pay as much for the best services. So bringing in Advanced Robotic Surgery can be a great stepping stone to a greater future.”
The event also highlighted a knowledgeable session as Dr. Subhash Khanna highlighted the points and topics of the CMR Versius Robotic System, followed by Dr. Raj Palaniappan. The dignitaries and attendees then witness the demonstration by the faculty on the Know-How of Technology, Robotic Cart, Instruments/Docking and Troubleshooting.
Reaching its end, the last day of the event will begin with a Session on the Early Adoption of Robotic Surgery, Economics of Robotic Surgery, Robotic Systems/Advancements and much more by the Faculty. Moving towards with a wonderful interactive open panel discussion on Robotic Surgery moderated by Dr. Arun Prasad and Panelists Dr. Alankar Gupta, Dr. Rajesh Srivastava, Dr. Harish K and Dr. Vishal Soni that gave way to crafting multiple innovative ideas, techniques and future modules. As it brought sight upon things unseen and thought on creating a better future in the world of medical healthcare. With a grand ending, the event concluded with a Panel Discussion on Capsules on Robotic Upper GI Surgery, moderated by Dr. Roy Patankar and Panelists Dr. Somakshekar SP, Dr. Rajneesh Singh and Dr. Ashish Vasistha.
