Top surgeons from across globe discuss evolving landscape of robotic-assisted surgery

New Delhi: The Association of Robotic and Innovative Surgeons (ARIS), one of the leading surgeon’s organizations, partnered with Clinical Robotic Surgery Association (India) to conduct their 1^st annual conference in Delhi.

The four-day conference was focused on innovation, patient safety, surgeon training and upskilling of healthcare professionals on new-age surgical technologies like robotic-assisted surgery.  The event featured panel discussions, keynote sessions, and workshops centered on robotic-assisted surgery.

The conference saw the participation of 700 surgeons, including distinguished international and national faculty members. The participants received an opportunity to attend scientific sessions focused on thoracic, urology, gynecology and pediatric surgery which delved into the latest advancements, techniques, emerging technologies, and best practices in this field.

Prior to the annual conference, the organizers conducted world’s first robotic cadaver workshop with four different robotic systems. The workshop organized at Sharda university had six cadaver stations, 24 delegates, 12 faculty members and 6 robotic systems.

The conference was led by Dr. Vivek Bindal, Organizing Chairman of ARIS, Dr. Arun Prasad, Organizing Co-Chair of ARIS, Dr. Randeep Wadhawan, Organizing Co-Chair of ARIS, Dr. Dhananjay Pandey, Organizing Secretary of ARIS, along with the esteemed presence of Dr. Subhash Khanna, President of ARIS.

SSAT (Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, USA) Global Leadership also partnered with the conference and several key topics were discussed. The SSAT India chapter was launched and Dr. Vivek Bindal was named as the President of the chapter. The motto of chapter is to actively engage surgeons for safe surgical practice. One of the main points of discussion was likely publications in the field of robotic surgery, indicating a focus on advancing and sharing knowledge in this area.

Notable luminaries attending the conference included Prof. Dr. Matthew Walsh, Chair of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA; Prof. Dr. Ranjan Sudan, from Duke University, USA; Prof. Charu Paranjpe, Head of Academic Surgery at Harvard Medical School, USA; Prof. Rana Pullatt, Chair of Bariatric Surgery at USC, USA; Dr. C. Selvasekhar, Head of the Robotic Task Force at NHS, UK; Dr. Adam Saad, a prominent robotic surgeon from the University of South Florida, USA; Dr. Yalini Vigneshwaran, a highly regarded upper GI and general surgeon from the University of Chicago, USA; and Dr. TK Rajesh, a distinguished robotic colorectal surgeon from Plymouth, UK.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Vivek Bindal, Organizing Chairman, ARIS said, “As an association that aims to promote scientific activities and innovative methods in the field of robotics surgery, our 1st annual conference brought together surgeons and healthcare experts from around the world to share research insights, and their experiences through various sessions. With more than 700 delegates attending the event, we are glad that we could help them advance the future of surgical practice through the adoption of robotic technology by using advanced surgical systems. The robotic cadaver workshop which was held a day prior to the annual conference was another enriching learning experience for the aspiring robotic surgeons. Under the guidance of notable surgeons from around the world, the participants were meticulously trained to comprehend the intricacies of surgical procedures with hands-on training sessions for various robotic surgeries ranging from robotic inguinal hernia repair and cholecystectomy to bowel anastomosis, bariatric surgery, and robotic hysterectomy.”

Dr. Subhash Khanna – Founding President, ARIS said, “As we embrace the latest advancements in technology, learning from experienced industry experts always adds more value. The conference established a collaborative learning environment for the surgeons with expertise in robotic surgery to mentor and guide the less-experienced doctors to gain profound insights on how robotic-assisted surgery offers safer, more precise, and minimally invasive procedures with less pain, reduced scarring, and faster recovery. Through live surgical procedures featuring various robotic platforms, budding surgeons from India were also able to understand how to navigate challenges and complexities in clinical practice. The participation of hundreds of surgeons at this conference showcased the growing interest among doctors to learn more about the technology and get trained in it. Such familiarization programs are paramount to spreading awareness about robotic surgery and creating an opportunity for surgeons to connect and engage with each other.”

During the event, renowned surgeons like Dr. Vivek Bindal, Dr. Somshekhar, Dr. Pradeep Jain and Dr. Mohit Bhandari performed surgical demonstrations like robotic low anterior resection (LAR), robotic sleeve gastrectomy, robotic rectopexy and robotic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery to help the participants understand the advancement of robotic-assisted surgical techniques, minimally invasive approaches and their clinical implications.

The conference also served as a platform for the attendees to explore novel approaches to robotic-assisted procedures across various surgical departments with live operative workshops and sessions. The conference further included multiple informative sessions on the evolving landscape of robotic-assisted surgery.

Association of Robotic & Innovative Surgeons (ARIS), was established in April 2022 to promote awareness, continue educational research in the field of robotics, and bring together robotic surgeons from across the world. The Clinical Robotic Surgery Association, one of the partners of the conference aims to provide clinical, educational, and innovative services and help spread robotic techniques in general surgery and its related specialties.