Dr. Sucandy Performed Live Robotic Liver Surgery in Asia, First Robotic Digestive Surgery in Indonesia
Robotic surgery is gaining adoption around the United States and beyond due to its role in improving feasibility of complex hepatopancreatobiliary operations. As a world leading surgeon in robotic complex abdominal and liver surgery, Dr Sucandy was invited to perform robotic live Liver surgery in Indonesia’s largest teaching hospital of Ciptomangunkusumo in Jakarta by the team of University of Indonesia Digestive Surgery Division under the guidance of Dr Wifanto Jeo. Ciptomangunkusomo, so called RSCM is the largest and the oldest teaching hospital in Indonesia which had produced the majority of Department/ Division Chiefs in almost all surgical subspecialties across Indonesian archipelago today.
On the day of Dr. Sucandy’s arrival, he had an opportunity to discuss about modern development of surgical procedures and fellow education in America with the Head of Digestive Surgery in Ciptomangunkusumo Hospital- Professor Toar Lalisang along with Dr. Yarman Mazni, Dr. Vania Marbun and Dr. Naomi Lalisang. Dr Sucandy also had the opportunity to then meet the Dean of Medical School from the University of Indonesia to discuss future possibilities for research collaboration, resident/fellow education and robotic surgery operative mentoring. This initiatives were very warmly welcomed and accepted by Prof. Sucandy who is holding academic teaching and clinical positions in Tampa Florida.
The team then went to the Kencana Pavilion to rehearse the robotic operation until 6pm. The live surgery was not the first robotic live surgery that Dr Sucandy had performed internationally outside the United States. Once the cases were selected by the team of Ciptomangunkusumo hospital, surgical preparation then begun several weeks prior. The robotic producer named EDGE Medical from China provided their best robotic system to be used for this first robotic liver surgery in Indonesia. The Director of Ciptomangunkusumo hospital (who is also a surgeon) was present in the morning of the Live Surgery at Kencana Pavilion in Jakarta.
The robotic liver surgery was performed and completed well by Prof. Dr Sucandy, who is working at the robotic console and Dr. Wifanto Jeo at the bedside, together with the Digestive Surgery team from Ciptomangunkusumo Hospital. It was truly a beautiful operation with such as a collaborative team of surgeons. The robotic operation was broadcasted live to all audiences who came from many major teaching hospitals across Indonesian cities such as Surabaya, Malang, Yogyakarta, Semarang, and many others. The event was covered by multiple medias, newspapers, etc and the success was reported to the Ministry of Health. This is a very promising first step in an effort to develop robotic surgery technology in Jakarta and ultimately improve care delivery to its citizens. The end goal is to improve postoperative and oncological outcomes of complex liver and pancreas surgeries in Indonesia, a country with more than 300 millions of inhabitants.
After the successful robotic live liver surgery in Ciptomangunkusumo hospital, Professor Sucandy then spoke at the ASEAN Laparoscopic Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Society Workshop and Meeting in ShangriLa Hotel-Central Jakarta. He shared his experience in Robotic biliary duct exploration, robotic liver surgery, and liver transplantation that are currently developing in the Western World. There were so many lively discussions among participants and organizing committees at ShangriLa Hotel during those two days. Dr Sucandy was pleased with the events and was encouraged to see the anthusiasm of Indonesian surgeons in learning and adopting robotic surgeries.
