In the United States and Latin America, for the first time, heart surgery was performed using the SSi Mantra 3 surgical robotic system. The procedure took place on June 8, 2024 at the Interhospital Clinic in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The operation was performed by heart surgeon Juan Suniga, who became the first specialist in the Americas to use this system for cardiac surgery.
The main task of the operation was to eliminate the defect of the atrial septum-a pathological opening between the two upper chambers of the heart. According to the clinic, after the intervention, echocardiography confirmed the complete closure of the defect, and the patient is successfully recovering.
SSi Mantra 3 is a next-generation modular system that includes three to five robotic manipulators, a command center with an ergonomic surgical workstation, and a 3D monitor with 4K resolution. The system interface allows integration of patient visualization and diagnostic data, including the superposition of three-dimensional models on images. The system's arsenal includes more than 40 types of endosurgical instruments for performing operations in various areas of surgery.
Dr. Suniga noted that SSi Mantra 3 is highly accurate and easy to operate. According to him, the minimally invasive approach with the use of a robot provides less bleeding, faster recovery and high accuracy of suturing. Since its installation at Interhospital, the system has been used for a variety of complex surgical procedures, proving its effectiveness in real-world clinical settings.
According to the manufacturer, SS Innovations International, the SSi Mantra 3 system has been successfully used in India since 2022 and has shown high results in more than 4,000 operations performed in various fields, including about 215 cardiac surgeries. Six of them were performed remotely.
The company's management and representatives of the clinic believe that the success of the operation in Ecuador opens up new prospects for the use of robotic systems in cardiac surgery in the Americas.
