Delhi public hospital milestone: first robot-assisted knee replacement performed

The Central Institute of Orthopaedics (CIO) at VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital achieved the milestone under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, performing the procedure at no cost for a 75-year-old economically disadvantaged patient. The robot-assisted total knee replacement (TKR) demonstrates the hospital's capacity to deliver cutting-edge surgical interventions to vulnerable patient populations through India's flagship health insurance programme.

The procedure was conducted under the clinical oversight of Prof. Dr Sumit Sural, Director of CIO, with a surgical team led by Dr Bhagwati Prasad Sharma, Consultant Professor and Unit Head. The initiative reflects institutional commitment to integrating advanced technology into public-sector orthopaedic services.

Dr Kavita Sharma, Director of VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, has championed the introduction of robot-assisted orthopaedic surgery at the institution. The development underscores efforts to enhance surgical precision and patient outcomes while ensuring equitable access to advanced medical technologies across India's public healthcare infrastructure.

Robot-assisted surgical systems have gained prominence in orthopaedics for their potential to improve alignment accuracy, reduce complications, and enhance post-operative recovery. The successful deployment at a major government medical centre signals expanding availability of such technologies beyond private healthcare settings in India.