The Department of Plastic Surgery at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) successfully performed robotic-assisted thoracoscopic phrenic nerve harvest on two patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury on June 29, 2026. This achievement marks the first robotic-assisted nerve reconstruction for traumatic brachial plexus injury in South India.

Both patients underwent robotic-assisted thoracoscopic phrenic nerve harvest, followed by phrenic nerve transfer to the musculocutaneous nerve to restore elbow flexion. The procedures were performed by a team of plastic surgeons led by Dr. Dinesh Kumar S. The robotic platform enabled precise intrathoracic dissection and minimally invasive harvest of the donor nerve, offering enhanced surgical precision while minimizing tissue trauma.

Congratulating the surgical team, Prof. (Dr.) Vir Singh Negi, Director, JIPMER, said that this milestone reflects the Institute's sustained commitment to adopting cutting-edge technologies for improving patient care. He noted that JIPMER's multidisciplinary robotic surgery programme, launched with the commissioning of the state-of-the-art Da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgery System in June 2017, has steadily expanded as one of the Institute's flagship advanced surgical services.

Dr. Negi stated that the first robotic-assisted minimal access surgeries were performed by the Department of Urology in July 2017. The programme has since evolved into a multidisciplinary initiative involving the Departments of Urology, Surgical Gastroenterology, Surgical Oncology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, General Surgery, Anaesthesiology, Nursing Services, Paediatric Surgery, Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, and Otorhinolaryngology. The programme has enabled a wide spectrum of complex procedures, particularly for cancer patients, providing benefits such as reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery.

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