From Whipple to Infant Tumor Removal — How Robotic Systems Are Rewriting Indian Surgical Science

BANGALORE, India - June 3, 2026 - PRLog -- The way surgery is performed in India is changing. Robotic-assisted surgery are now actively transforming outcomes at leading hospitals across the country.
A New Standard of Precision
Surgery has evolved from open procedures to laparoscopic techniques and now to robotic-assisted systems. Each stage has reduced patient trauma while improving outcomes. Robotic technology gives surgeons enhanced 3D visualization, greater instrument dexterity, and unmatched precision during procedure.
For patients, this means smaller incisions, less blood loss, lower post-operative pain, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery. In gastrointestinal surgery robotic systems have significantly improved both safety and results.
The Case That Said It All
Among the most defining cases in Dr. Haridas' career was a one-month-old infant diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor. Conventionally, this would have required a major open operation carrying enormous risk for a newborn. Using robotic-assisted technology, the tumor was successfully removed through minimal incisions — and the infant recovered far faster than any traditional approach could have allowed.
The Whipple surgery tells the same story. Once among the most feared operations in abdominal surgery — requiring large open incisions and weeks of hospitalization — it is now performed robotically with significantly reduced recovery time and surgical trauma.
"This is what robotic surgery stands for," said Dr. Haridas. "precision surgery— even in the most vulnerable patients."
No Surgery Is Minor. A defining principle in Dr. Haridas' practice is that robotic surgery should not be reserved only for the most complex cases. If it can improve a patient's comfort and recovery, it should be offered.
"No surgery feels minor to the patient about to undergo it," he said. "If we can make that experience safer and recovery faster, that is the standard of care we must deliver."
Fear of surgery remains one of the biggest barriers to timely treatment in India. Dr. Haridas invests time before every procedure explaining the diagnosis and the surgical process in plain language — reducing anxiety and building patient confidence.
India now has over 100 robotic surgical installations and more than 800 trained robotic surgeons. The country is moving decisively toward precision-driven. For Dr. Haridas, the next frontier is access. "The future of robotic surgery must extend beyond metro hospitals. Every patient — regardless of geography — deserves this standard of care."

Dr. Manjunath Haridas is Consultant — Colorectal and GI Surgeon at Manipal Hospital Whitefield, Bengaluru. He completed his MD from Case Western Reserve University, USA, and holds a Fellowship in Robotic Surgery from Atlanta, USA. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, recipient of the International Healthcare Excellence Award 2022.
http://www.roboticssurgeon.in