Lucknow: Doctors at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) have performed what is believed to be India’s youngest robotic thyroid surgery on a six-year-old girl.Calling it an important milestone for paediatric endocrine surgery in the country, faculty at department of endocrine and breast surgery, Prof Gyan Chand said: “Instead of opting for conventional open surgery, which involves an incision across the neck, the surgical team removed a thyroid lesion using a robotic system through tiny incisions hidden in the underarm and chest. The child recovered without complications and is doing well.
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”He said that the robotic thyroid surgery in young children is uncommon because the limited operating space and smaller anatomy demand precise planning and modifications in technique.“The youngest reported patient worldwide to undergo robotic thyroid surgery was a five-year-old girl in South Korea,” an official statement by the institute said.Unlike conventional thyroid surgery, the robotic approach avoids a visible neck scar while offering surgeons a magnified, high-definition view of delicate structures, allowing greater precision during surgery.Doctors said these advantages become particularly significant in children, where preserving vital nerves and minimising tissue trauma are critical.“Performing robotic thyroid surgery in a six-year-old required meticulous planning and special modifications because of the child’s small body size,” Prof Gyan Chand said.“This achievement demonstrates that with the right expertise and careful patient selection, advanced robotic surgery can be performed safely even in very young children. Apart from surgical precision, avoiding a visible neck scar is an important benefit that can have a lasting impact on a child’s quality of life.”He said the operation reflected the growing expertise in robotic endocrine surgery at SGPGIMS and could encourage wider adoption of minimally invasive procedures for carefully selected paediatric patients.The multidisciplinary surgical team included assistant professors Dr Rinelle Mascarenhas and Dr Prachi Krishnatrey, senior residents Dr Mithlesh Wanchoo and Dr Azra Tasneem, and the anaesthesia team led by Dr Sujeeth Gautham, besides nursing and operating theatre staff.SGPGIMS director Prof RK Dhiman and head of endocrine and breast surgery department, Prof Gaurav Agarwal congratulated the team.
