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Video Transcript - Frugal innovations in surgical technology in rural India

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Published: 20 October 2021

Version: 1.0

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This is a transcript of the video Frugal innovations in surgical technology in rural India.

In North-East India, as in many rural areas in the world, the technology and training for keyhole surgery have not been available. This means patients suffer needlessly long recovery times and high risks of infection and complications following surgery.

Now, working with our partners in India, surgeons and engineers from the NIHR Global Health Research Group in Surgical Technologies have developed innovative low cost tools and techniques for keyhole surgery.

Following successful research and development at the University of Leeds and across North-East India, this has not only proved safe, clean, green and cost-effective, but also offers the potential to revolutionise how surgery can be conducted in rural healthcare settings globally.

While current keyhole surgery requires both a general anaesthetic and carbon dioxide gas to inflate the abdominal cavity this new technique, called ‘Gasless Laparoscopy’, uses mechanical lifting to inflate the cavity with air, making space for the surgeon to enter and operate. It is far less expensive, and it does not require carbon dioxide, anaesthetists, or costly, disposable, surgical devices.

The project is a very unique one. It takes laparoscopic surgery to very rural and remote areas and it’s easily available and less expensive.

NIHR’s Health Economics analysis, undertaken as part of this wider project, shows that keyhole surgery offers a cost effective use of resource in terms of health gain achieved per Rupee spent.

This resulted in widespread policy uptake at state and national level. As well as developing the technology it is vital that health facilities are equipped and trained to provide keyhole surgery, and that patients are willing to be able to access these services even in remote areas where travel is challenging.

This technique is much safer for the patients. They are discharged earlier, It will have a huge impact on the people of rural India.

This has been a real, multidisciplinary, collaborative project and its success is absolutely dependent on bringing together surgeons and manufacturing partners from India, together with product designers and engineers from the UK.
It's very heartening to be a part of something which is producing results, the future is very bright.

Following the success of this work in India, the NIHR Global Health Research Group is now planning to implement its use in other low and middle income countries. And the group is rolling out virtual reality training, which greatly increases the scope and reach of surgeons to use this new technique with confidence.