Surgeon Operates Remotely from Gurugram as Patient Undergoes Robotic Metabolic Surgery in Ahmedabad, Breaking Geographic Barriers Through Tele-Robotic Surgery Across Nearly 1,000 km.
AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT | 10th AUGUST 2026 | In a landmark milestone for robotic surgery, Shalby Multi-Specialty Hospitals has successfully performed Gujarat’s first tele-robotic bariatric (metabolic) surgery, with the operating surgeon controlling the robotic system remotely from Gurugram while the patient underwent surgery in Ahmedabad.
The tele-robotic bariatric surgery was led by Dr. Parag Patel, Consultant Laparoscopic, Robotic, Bariatric & Gastrointestinal Surgeon at Shalby Hospitals, who remotely operated from the SS Innovations Centre in Gurugram. He worked in close coordination with the bedside clinical team at Shalby Hospital, SG Highway, Ahmedabad, headed by Dr. Sourabh Damani, Consultant Robotic & Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal, Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeon. The team also included Dr. Mohsina Saiyad, Hardik Mcwan, Hardik Acharya, along with the complete anaesthesia, nursing, operating theatre and technical teams, whose seamless coordination ensured the successful completion of the procedure.
Developed in India, the SSI Mantra 3, the latest robotic surgical platform, enables tele-robotics to bridge geographical barriers by allowing expert surgeons to perform complex procedures remotely, without requiring patients to travel. This milestone is expected to expand access to advanced robotic surgery across Shalby’s hospital network in India.
The milestone involved two patients from Gujarat who underwent tele-robotic bariatric procedures at Shalby Hospital, SG Highway, Ahmedabad. The first patient, a 42-year-old woman from Rajkot, weighing 107.5 kg with a BMI of 43.1 kg/m², presented with Class III obesity complicated by Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). With an excess weight of 42.5 kg, she underwent a Tele-Robotic Gastric Bypass using robotic-assisted surgical technology.
The second patient, a 53-year-old woman from Vadodara, weighing 107.2 kg with a BMI of 48.3 kg/m², presented with Class III (morbid) obesity and Grade II fatty liver. With an excess weight of 51.8 kg, she underwent a Tele-Robotic SASJ-SOS MGB (Mini Gastric Bypass) procedure using robotic-assisted surgical technology.
The excess body weight had affected the patients’ ability to perform routine daily activities like climbing stairs. The procedures are expected to support significant and sustained weight loss, improve obesity-related health risks and metabolic health, and help address associated complications including Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Grade II fatty liver.
Robotic-assisted bariatric surgery offers significant advantages over conventional minimally invasive surgery by providing surgeons with high-definition 3D vision, enhanced precision and greater dexterity. This enables safer and more accurate surgery, especially in patients with severe obesity, resulting in reduced tissue trauma, less post-operative pain, faster recovery and improved overall clinical outcomes.
The milestone comes at a time when obesity and diabetes are emerging as major public health challenges in India. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s ICMR–INDIAB Study (2023)[1,2], India is home to over 101 million people living with diabetes and another 136 million with prediabetes, underscoring the urgent need for effective interventions to tackle obesity and metabolic diseases. According to recent NFHS-6 data[3], Gujarat is witnessing a growing burden of obesity and related metabolic diseases, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnoea and other obesity-related complications.
Dr. Parag Patel, Consultant Laparoscopic, Robotic, Bariatric & Gastrointestinal Surgeon, said: “Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease that affects nearly every organ system. Bariatric surgery today is recognised globally as metabolic surgery because it can dramatically improve, and in many patients, even achieve remission of Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and sleep apnea. This is not merely about helping patients lose weight; it is about giving them a healthier, longer and better quality of life.”
Mr. Parimal Patel, Cluster COO, Shalby Hospitals, Ahmedabad, said: “This achievement reflects Shalby Hospitals’ continued commitment to bringing the latest medical innovations closer to our patients. Gujarat’s first tele-robotic bariatric surgery demonstrates how advanced technology can remove geographical barriers and bring expert surgical care closer to patients. We believe tele-robotics will redefine access to specialised healthcare and enable more patients across our network to benefit from world-class robotic surgery.”
Source
- 1. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(23)00119-5/fulltext
- 2. https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/262/AU1864.pdf?source=pqars&utm_
- 3.https://www.nfhsiips.in/nfhsuser/assets/National%20Family%20Health%20Survey%20(NFHS-6)%202023-2024%20Fact%20Sheets.pdf
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