Shimla: In a major leap for public healthcare, Himachal Pradesh is set to conduct its first-ever robotic surgery on August 7 at the Atal Super Speciality Medical Institute, Chamiyana. The milestone marks a significant technological advancement in the state’s medical infrastructure and positions Himachal among the select few states offering robotic surgery in government hospitals.
The inaugural procedure will be a robotic-assisted prostate stone surgery, performed by the Urology Department using the advanced Da Vinci XI robotic system. The operation will be conducted under the guidance of Dr. Pamposh Raina, along with renowned urologist Dr. Anant Kumar’s team. The first patient was admitted to the facility on Monday evening, according to UNI.
Dr. Raina highlighted the precision and safety advantages of robotic surgery:
“This system gives us multiple hands. We can now perform more accurate surgeries with fewer complications. In traditional prostate surgeries, blood loss can be as high as one litre, but with robotic surgery, it is reduced to just 50 ml.”
The Da Vinci XI system—considered one of the world’s most advanced surgical platforms—includes:
- A patient cart with four robotic arms (three for micro-surgical instruments and one for an endoscopic camera)
- A 3D vision cart with 10x magnification
- A surgeon console operated via joystick and pedals for highly controlled movements
Robotic surgery significantly reduces operation time (from 8 hours to just 3), ensures minimal blood loss, reduces post-operative pain, and shortens hospital stays. Initially focused on prostate and stone surgeries, the system will eventually support gynecological, tumor, and complex urological procedures.
The initiative fulfills a key promise by the Congress-led Himachal government, signaling a transformative shift toward precision medicine and future-ready healthcare services.
With this development, the hill state steps into a new era of advanced surgical care—where highly trained doctors and cutting-edge technology combine to offer safer, faster, and more effective treatments to patients.
