AINU performs Vizag’s first robotic Boari flap reconstruction surgery

AINU performs Vizag's first robotic Boari flap reconstruction surgery Published – August 19, 2026 08: 48 pm IST – VISAKHAPATANAM.

Key points

• Amit Saple, Senior Consultant Urologist, Transplant, Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeon remarked: This was a highly complex reconstructive case.
• Upon admission at AINU Hospital Vizag, the medical team stabilised her condition by placing a percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) tube to relieve obstruction.
• The patient, a resident of Kakinada, with ureteric stone could not be treated successfully at another hospital due to significant narrowing of the ureter.
• During surgery, the team encountered a more extensive ureteric defect than anticipated, making conventional procedures unsuitable.

In practice, the Asian Institute of Nephrology & Urology (AINU), Visakhapatnam, has successfully performed the city's first robotic Boari flap reconstruction surgery to treat a complex long-segment ureteric stricture, restoring normal kidney function in a 50-year-old woman. The patient, a resident of Kakinada, with ureteric stone could not be treated successfully at another hospital due to significant narrowing of the ureter. She developed urinary obstruction and infection, requiring immediate medical intervention.

Upon admission at AINU Hospital Vizag, the medical team stabilised her condition by placing a percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) tube to relieve obstruction. The stone was then successfully removed. Nevertheless, the patient continued to experience recurrent infections due to a long segment ureteric stricture. It left her dependent on an external drainage system. After evaluation, the urology team opted for a robotic reconstructive approach to restore normal urinary flow and preserve kidney function.

Speaking regarding the case, Dr. Amit Saple, Senior Consultant Urologist, Transplant, Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeon remarked: "This was a highly complex reconstructive case. The ureteric narrowing involved a long segment located close to major pelvic blood vessels, making the surgery technically demanding. Robotic technology allowed us to perform the reconstruction with exceptional precision while minimising surgical trauma, resulting in quicker recovery and excellent outcomes."

During surgery, the team encountered a more extensive ureteric defect than anticipated, making conventional procedures unsuitable. The surgeons performed a robotic Boari flap reconstruction, a specialised technique in which a flap from the urinary bladder is applied to reconstruct the damaged ureter. The procedure was carried out using minimally invasive robotic technology through just a few keyhole incisions. This resulted in minimal blood loss, reduced postoperative pain, faster recovery, and excellent functional outcomes. In practice, the patient recovered well, had the kidney tube removed prior to discharge, and was discharged within three days.

For now, AINU performs Vizag's first robotic Boari flap reconstruction surgery remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.