A robot-aided Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala on Tuesday, 16 May, saved the life of 45-year-old Zubair.

The 45-year-old auto driver suffered from the degenerative disorder for almost a decade, and had almost given up before he was saved by a team of doctors – and a robot.

This marks the first time in Asia that a DBS implantation has been done using a surgical robot – this robot was called ROSA.

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Speaking to DNA India, Ashok Pillai, clinical professor, Neurosurgery Department at Amrita Hospital, said, “DBS provides therapeutic benefits for treatment-resistant disorders like Parkinson’s, epilepsy, movement disorders, chronic pain, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Functional neurosurgery is an important branch of neurosurgery that helps correct treatment-resistant neurological disorders. The ROSA robotic technology, often called the GPS system for the skull, ensures high precision during the implantation of the neurostimulator. This was used for the first time in Asia in the case of Zubair.”

A jubilant Zubair said, “After so many years, I can watch a movie with my family without any disturbance. Earlier, I couldn’t go out to a social gathering or even attend family functions because everyone would stare at my tremors.”

Zubair, an auto-driver by profession, was no doubt severely hampered by the disease. Moreover, it affected his financial situation as he was the sole breadwinner for his family and he could not regularly drive his auto due to his condition.

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The Logical Indian community congratulates the Kochi doctors who saved Zubair’s life. What is also remarkable about the life-saving surgery is that it was historic, being the first robot-assisted surgery in Asia. Hopefully, this will open the door for more medical marvels pioneered by India’s doctors and scientists.