On July 11, 2026, in Mangaluru, a team of doctors at K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital successfully performed a robotic Whipple procedure on a 57-year-old patient suffering from pancreatic cancer. The patient had been admitted with complaints of abdominal pain, jaundice, and weight loss, and was evaluated by Dr. Chandrashekar Sorake, Head of the Department of Medical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Following investigations, including a CT scan, endoscopic ultrasound, and biopsy, the patient was diagnosed with advanced-stage pancreatic cancer. A multidisciplinary team of specialists from various departments, including Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology, Oncology, Radiology, and Pathology, conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the patient. The team decided to administer chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumour before surgery, under the guidance of Medical Oncologist Dr. Vijith Shetty.
After four cycles of chemotherapy, a PET scan showed a significant reduction in the size of the pancreatic tumour, and the patient was advised to undergo a Whipple procedure. The surgery was performed using the advanced Da Vinci robotic surgical system, with a team including Dr. Santosh Kumar K.V. and Dr. Praveen Kumar R. Bhat from the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Onco Surgery. The procedure lasted nearly nine hours, with minimal blood loss, and the patient recovered quickly, thanks to excellent post-operative care and nursing support.
The patient was discharged within a week and is currently undergoing post-operative chemotherapy, with a stable condition one month after the surgery. This achievement marks a significant milestone for K.S. Hegde Hospital, demonstrating its state-of-the-art robotic surgical facilities and expertise in treating complex cases like pancreatic cancer.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Mangalore Today