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India’s First Single-hole Robotic Cholecystectomy
A complex procedure was successfully performed to treat severe lumbar canal stenosis in a 40-year-old male patient weighing 185kg. Given the urgency of the situation and the patient's extreme weight, an intricate spinal decompression and stabilisation surgery was performed. Thereafter the patient regained his ability to walk and control his body functions. India's first-ever single-hole robotic cholecystectomy using conventional robotic instruments was successfully performed for a 60-year old male patient diagnosed with cholelithiasis, thickened gallbladder containing multiple large calculi each over 3 cm in size. This procedure, typically available in western countries with expensive specialized equipment, marks a significant milestone in Indian healthcare. The surgery was successfully completed within one hour without any major complications.
About the Speaker

Dr. Arun Prasad
Surgical Gastroenterologist, Bariatrics Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi
Dr. Arun Prasad is currently working as Surgical Gastroenterologist & Bariatric Surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. With 35 years of surgical experience, this surgeon is among the most seasoned in India and globally, pioneering various advanced techniques, including laparoscopy since 1990, advanced laparoscopy in 1997, single incision laparoscopy in 2010, bariatric surgery in 2004, robotic surgery in 2012, and bariatric endoscopy in 2018. A graduate of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, he completed his master's in surgery at Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, in 1988, and received higher surgical training in GI surgery in the UK, where his team initiated laparoscopic surgery. After earning his FRCS in 1990 and working at Charing Cross Medical School, London, he returned to India in 1996, joining Apollo Hospitals as one of the youngest senior consultants. Recognized as a pioneer in laparoscopy in both the UK and India, he was awarded the prestigious FACS (USA) in 2019. His achievements include performing over 6000 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, 2000 laparoscopic hernia surgeries, and pioneering bariatric surgery in India with over 1000 procedures. He also led the way in bariatric endoscopy, robotic bariatric surgery, and GI surgery, holding several records in these fields.
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