K.S. Hegde Hospital successfully performs robotic surgery for pancreatic cancer

K.S. Hegde Hospital successfully performs robotic surgery for pancreatic cancer

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jul 11, 2026: Doctors at K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital have achieved a significant medical milestone by successfully performing a robotic Whipple procedure on a patient suffering from pancreatic cancer.

A 57-year-old patient was admitted to K.S. Hegde Hospital with complaints of abdominal pain, jaundice and weight loss. The patient was evaluated by Dr. Chandrashekar Sorake, Head of the Department of Medical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Subsequent investigations, including a CT scan, endoscopic ultrasound and biopsy, confirmed that the patient had advanced-stage pancreatic cancer.

As the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach, a team of specialists from Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology, Oncology, Radiology, Pathology and other related departments conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the patient. Considering the advanced stage of the disease, the team decided to administer chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumour before surgery.

Under the expert guidance of Medical Oncologist Dr. Vijith Shetty, the patient underwent four cycles of chemotherapy. A subsequent PET scan showed a significant reduction in the size of the pancreatic tumour, indicating an excellent response to the treatment.

The patient was then advised to undergo a Whipple procedure, a major and highly complex surgery involving the removal of part of the pancreas, the small intestine, the bile duct and a portion of the stomach. Traditionally, the Whipple procedure is performed as an open surgery, requiring a large abdominal incision and a longer recovery period.

However, owing to the state-of-the-art robotic surgical facilities available at K.S. Hegde Hospital, the medical team opted for a robot-assisted Whipple procedure.

After detailed counselling regarding the surgery, the patient and family members consented to the robotic procedure. The surgery was successfully performed using the advanced Da Vinci robotic surgical system.

The robotic surgery team included Dr. Santosh Kumar K.V. and Dr. Praveen Kumar R. Bhat from the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Onco Surgery, along with a team of skilled nurses and supporting staff. The highly complex procedure lasted for nearly nine hours and was completed successfully with minimal blood loss.

Administering anaesthesia during such major surgeries is particularly challenging. The anaesthesia and critical care team, led by Dr. Avinash Bhandary, along with Dr. Govindaraj Bhat, Dr. Joyleen D’Souza and Dr. Ranjan Nayak, managed the procedure with exceptional expertise.

Thanks to excellent post-operative care and nursing support, the patient recovered quickly and was discharged within a week. One month after the surgery, the patient’s condition remains stable and he is currently undergoing post-operative chemotherapy, according to a hospital release.