India’s First Robotic Renal Transplant Performed at AIIMS Delhi

PTI, NEW DELHI, OCT 10, 2025: Surgeons at AIIMS, Delhi, have successfully performed India's first robotic renal transplant on a 45-year-old man suffering from kidney failure, marking a significant milestone in the country's healthcare system. This groundbreaking surgery, claimed to be the first of its kind in a government hospital, utilized the Da Vinci Xi surgical system, a state-of-the-art robotic platform designed to enable minimally invasive surgery with enhanced precision, dexterity, and 3D visualization.

Dr. Virendra Bansal, a professor in the Department of Surgery and the Chief Transplant Surgeon at AIIMS, led the surgery and explained that this technology offers several benefits, including smaller incisions, reduced blood loss, less pain, faster recovery, and fewer complications. These advantages allow patients to return home sooner and resume their daily activities with minimal discomfort.

The patient, who had been on dialysis, first arrived at the Nephrology department of AIIMS about six months ago. Dr. Krishna Asuri, another professor in the Department of Surgery, noted that the patient underwent a full evaluation for kidney transplantation, after which a suitable donor was identified. Following the transplant workup, the patient was referred to the Department of Surgery for the transplant procedure.

On September 3, the surgery was performed, lasting approximately four hours under general anesthesia. Dr. Bansal explained that the Da Vinci Xi robotic system enabled small incisions in the lower abdomen, through which the donated kidney was inserted via a 4-5 cm incision in the pelvis. The kidney was then connected to the patient’s blood vessels, and the ureter was joined to the urinary bladder using the robotic system.

Immediately after the surgery, the patient showed positive signs, with good urine output and the donated kidney functioning well. "The creatinine levels came down to 1.2, and the patient was discharged after 10 days of hospital stay," Dr. Bansal added.

Since the initial case, four more patients have undergone robotic kidney transplants at AIIMS Delhi. The Department of Surgical Disciplines at AIIMS officially launched the advanced Da Vinci surgical system a few months ago to enhance access to advanced surgical care and address intricate surgical challenges.

Dr. Bansal emphasized that the introduction of robotic-assisted surgery is a crucial advancement in providing minimally invasive, precise treatments to a larger population, setting a new benchmark for public healthcare in India.