Arun Prasad MBBS, FRCS

Dr. Arun Prasad falls in the category of the modern "general" surgeon. He has been part of the minimal access surgery revolution that started when he went to the UK for higher surgical training in 1989. Starting with endoscopic urology, he joined the team to start laparoscopy at Charing Cross Hospital in London. Advanced laparoscopy for hernia, solid organs and GIT followed. Subsequently on his return to India in 1996, he pioneered the above and also VATS and thoracoscopic surgery that was not being done. Next came laparoscopic bariatric surgery in 2004 and now robotic surgery. The experience of wide ranging minimally invasive surgery has now translated to robotic surgery where he is doing procedures in the chest, upper and lower abdominal areas with ease.

Interestingly enough, like many surgeons, it was suggested to him that he should practice his skills on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox back when he was starting to learn robotic surgery. He hopes that someday, he may be able to beat his young son on PS3 games! His interest in robotic surgery came from his many years training in minimally invasive surgery. For Prasad, it was a natural transition. Thanks to his experience with MIS in the abdomen, going into the chest robotically was easy. "It was not being taken up by CTS surgeons... I took it forward with robotics." He likes robotic surgery because of the better vision and control of the camera. He likes being able to have 3 instruments easily available to him on the da Vinci console, especially with their precise and accurate movement. There is less blood loss for the patient. Suturing is less tiring and more precise. He likes that there is better dissection in "remote" areas like the deep pelvis, esophageal hiatus, bariatric surgery and for thymectomies.