Cancer is that dreaded word that no one wants to hear when they are sitting in the doctor’s chamber. With outcomes, treatment and cure of various cancers being shrouded in mystery, a lot of people almost always assume the worst. But that may not always be the case. With the advances in medical science, there are a lot of new and better methods of treatment, most notable among them being robotic surgery. We spoke to Dr Supratim Bhattacharyya, Consultant Surgical Oncologist and Robotic Surgeon at Apollo Multispecialty Hospital, Kolkata, about various cancers of gastrointestinal tract, such as oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, small bowel cancer, colonic cancer, rectal cancer - and the latest in surgical treatment for the same.

So far, the treatment of such cancers has primarily been carried out using conventional open approach surgery. However, for the last few years it has been seen that the same kind of cancer outcomes can be achieved through minimally invasive robotic surgery, as well. In the case of robotic surgery, a few holes are made in the chest or abdomen area, depending on the location of cancer and the operative strategy. Through these holes a number of robotic arms are inserted into the body. These arms are then controlled by the surgeon from a master console where the surgeon gets a stable magnified 3D vision of the operative field.

The good news is that Robotic surgery not only gives good outcomes, it actually comes with a host of advantages which make it far more preferable to traditional open approach surgery. Broadly speaking, these advantages include:

• Higher surgical precision
• Lower intra-operative blood loss
• Less post-operative pain
• Less chance of wound infection
• Less suppression of immune function
• Faster post operative recovery, and
• Shortened post-operative hospital stay
• Early return to daily life

In recent times, the focus has shifted from merely cancer cure to better cancer cure in addition to quickest recovery to pre-cancer quality of life. These minimal invasive surgeries show much better outcomes, and patients are able to return to their pre-operative state much quicker. And when it comes to the best in terms of oncological treatment, care and support, where can you find the better facilities than at Apollo Multispecialty Hospital, Kolkata.

This article has been produced on behalf of Apollo Multispeciality Hospital by ABP Digital Brand Studio.