JIPMER opens new Surgical Simulation Center to train doctors in Robotic Surgery

Puducherry: A state-of-the-art surgical simulation training center has been set up at JIPMER to help surgeons hone skills before moving on to performing robotic procedures on patients.

Robotic Surgical Simulators train medical professionals on computer technology-based equipment developed to perform operations and procedures in machines. Practice of performing model operations in computer-assisted machines is compulsory before actually performing robotic surgeries on human patients for professionals.

The simulation center established at the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology JIPMER's has an ultrasound scan simulator, advanced ROSS robotic surgery trainer, three virtual reality laparoscopic surgery simulators with real touch feeling, and nursing care simulator.

Dr. S.C. Parija, Director,JIPMER, inaugurating the facility, said that the robotic surgery simulator will teach skill exercises to surgeons, in order to make them well versed with the technique of robotic surgery, before they operate on the human patients.

JIPMER is the only center in India, in possession of a RoSS robotic trainer.

Dr. Parija also spoke of the need for simulation based training in medical education. This he said would improve the skills of medical students and young surgeons.

Defining robotic surgery as an emerging technique, in which operative procedure is performed by the robotic arm, instead of human arm, Dr. Parija said the movement of the robotic arms was controlled by the surgeon sitting in the control center, located away from the patient.

The facility established at a cost of Rs. 5.8 crore has machines coming in from U.S. France, Canada and Israel.

Additional Professor and Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Dr. Biju Pottakkat said that the ultrasound simulator installed at the JIPMER simulation center is one of the most advanced machines currently available in the world and gives the trainee a 3D orientation of various abdominal diseases like gall stones, kidney stones or tumors as well as various internal organs.

JIPMER also has an echocardiography training facility . The virtual reality laparoscopic simulators at the institute train medical professionals on commonly performed operative procedures in machines ; some of these include removal of gallbladder and appendix .This is learnt before the actual operations performed by them on patients. The equipment puts marks for the surgeon in order to help him access his performance in terms of having performed correctly. Repetitive performance of the procedure on the simulator, helps them improve their skills and finally, perform the procedure, on the patients in a better way .

"Robotic surgery places the surgeon in a very different operating environment where, unlike in conventional laparoscopy, there is no tactile involvement. So, it is imperative to get an orientation in a simulated environment before moving on to the actual procedure," said Dr. Kalayarasan R, Assistant Professor of the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, JIPMER.

Robotic surgery allows superior and deeper access into certain areas of the anatomy, while robotic arms enjoy a greater degree of freedom of movement, revealed Dr. Kalayarasan said. Besides, of course, the surgeon being able to command robotic arms to perform a procedure on a patient anywhere in the world, from the perspective of skills.

Apart from the fantastic proposition of a surgeon being able to command robotic arms to perform a procedure on a patient anywhere in the world, from the skills perspective,

In about three months JIPMER is expected to have upgraded to full-fledged robotic surgery with the arrival of state-of-the-art equipment. These would comprise of robotic arms, patient console and monitor reports the Hindu .