K.S. Hegde Hospital performs first paediatric robotic liver tumour surgery in Coastal Karnataka

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 7, 2026: Doctors at K.S. Hegde Hospital have successfully performed the first-ever complex paediatric robotic liver tumour surgery in coastal Karnataka on a 14-year-old girl, marking a major milestone in advanced surgical care in the region.

The teenager was brought to the Department of Paediatric Surgery at K.S. Hegde Hospital after complaining of abdominal pain. Detailed medical investigations revealed a large tumour in the liver (caudate lobe). Doctors noted that if such tumours are not treated in time, they carry a high risk of rupture and uncontrolled internal bleeding, which can be life-threatening.

Given the tumour’s location near major blood vessels, conventional open surgery was considered highly risky due to the possibility of severe blood loss. After careful deliberation, the paediatric surgery team, in collaboration with surgical gastroenterologists and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgeons, decided to perform a robot-assisted liver resection. The highly complex procedure, which lasted nearly 11 hours, was successfully completed.

The surgery was carried out under the guidance of renowned surgical gastroenterologist Dr. Clarson Raja of JIPMER, Puducherry. Although the procedure carried a high risk of bleeding and required extremely precise anaesthetic management, the expert anaesthesia team managed the case effectively.

Following the surgery, the patient made a smooth recovery under the care of paediatric doctors and staff of the paediatric intensive care unit. She did not experience any major post-operative complications and was fully stable by the fifth day after surgery, following which she was discharged and advised to resume normal activities gradually.

Hospital authorities stated that this is the first paediatric robotic surgery for a complex liver tumour in coastal Karnataka. Over the past one year, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy has successfully performed more than 170 complex robotic-assisted surgeries.

Compared to conventional surgical methods, robotic surgery allows greater precision in procedures involving the liver, pancreas, stomach, gall bladder, colorectal region, and cancer surgeries. It also reduces blood loss, post-operative pain, and speeds up patient recovery.

The patient belongs to a socially and economically underprivileged background. Hospital officials said the surgery was made possible due to the institutional support and encouragement of the Nitte management. Despite the financial challenges, the procedure was successfully completed with full support from the institution.

Doctors described the achievement as a significant step forward in providing advanced and equitable healthcare in the region.