Global Robotic Assisted Surgery Podcast (GRASP)

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Nathan Nagel talks to Dr T. Sloane Guy and they discuss cardiac robotic assisted surgery and Dr Guy's passion for robotic systems, tool development, and robotic software that can help enhance performance. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Guy earned his MD and completed surgery residency and cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. He has extensive training and experience in robotic cardiac surgery. He is a former Lieutenant Colonel in U.S. Army who served 3 tours as a combat surgeon in Iraq and Afghanistan where he was awarded the Bronze Star, Combat Medical Badge and Combat Support Badge among others. He was recently Professor of Surgery, Clinical Director of Cardiac Surgery, Vice Chair of the Division of Cardiac Surgery, and Director of Robotic & Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia prior to moving to the Georgia Heart Institute in 2022. He chaired the Society for Thoracic Surgeons Task Force on Robotic Cardiac Surgery the annual STS Robotic Cardiac Surgery Workshop for the last 7 years and started the Thoracic Surgery Foundation’s Advanced Robotic Cardiac Surgery Fellowship. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at ⁠⁠https://www.roboticsurgery.global/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Nathan Nagel talks to Mr Julian Evans and discusses stereotactic & functional neurosurgery and innovative surgical techniques. ABOUT THE GUEST Mr Julin Evans is a Consultant Neurosurgeon in Manchester, UK, with a Subspecialty Interest in Functional Neurosurgery and is the current President of the British Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. He has a passion for novel and innovative surgical techniques and has extensive experience of robotic stereotactic procedures with a primary focus on Deep Brain Stimulation for treating movement disorders. He initially embarked on a degree course in engineering upon leaving school but subsequently went on to undertake undergraduate medical training at The University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, graduating in 1999. After completing his houseman year, he worked through a standard surgical training rotation programme in South Wales before gaining experience in Neuro-critical Care in Southampton and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.  He then obtained a National Training Number in Neurosurgery in Manchester, where he has been ever since, aside from a 12-month Fellowship in Functional Neurosurgery under the tutelage of Prof. Steven Gill at Bristol, primarily learning the discipline of Deep Brain Stimulation. Mr Evans was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon in 2010 with a Subspecialty Interest in Functional Neurosurgery and has built up a busy general and Functional Neurosurgical practice with a principal interest in Deep Brain Stimulation for the treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, Essential Tremor and Dystonia. It is now one of the busiest such centres and is heavily involved in clinical and research collaborations throughout the UK and Europe. We pride ourselves on our novel and innovative surgical approach, with the Neuromate Robot becoming an indispensable addition to our surgical armoury over the last six years. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at ⁠⁠https://www.roboticsurgery.global/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Dr Mark Soliman who discusses advanced robotic colorectal surgery and the importance of post-op performance reflection. Dr. Soliman is board-certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He attended the University of Florida and was a part of the Junior Honors Medical Program, graduating with his Bachelors and Medical Degrees by the age of 23 as magna cum laude. He did his surgical residency at Baptist Health in Birmingham, Alabama and completed his fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Colon and Rectal Clinic of Orlando. In August 2020, Dr. Soliman became the Colorectal Surgery Program Medical Director for AdventHealth‘s Digestive Health and Surgery Institute. In this role, he oversees the clinical, business, educational, and research development across AdventHealth’s 17 Central Florida hospitals. Additionally, he is the Department Chairman of Colorectal Surgery at AdventHealth Central Florida. On a national level, Dr. Soliman helped develop the standardized training curriculum used by the Association of Program Directors of Colon and Rectal Surgery (APDCRS) and is lead faculty in training courses for robotic certification of colorectal surgical residents. Dr. Soliman specializes in advanced robotic colorectal surgery for benign and malignant disease, and evolving techniques in transanal minimally invasive surgery for sphincter preservation.” ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at ⁠⁠www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Associate Professor Benjamin Chung and discusses his extensive experiences in robotic prostatectomy and robotic kidney surgeries. ABOUT THE GUEST Benjamin Chung, MD is an Associate Professor of Urology at the Stanford University School of Medicine and is a Urologic Oncologist specializing in the treatment of prostate and kidney cancer. As Director of Robotic Surgery at Stanford, he has one of the largest surgical experiences in robotic prostatectomy and robotic kidney surgeries in California. Dr. Chung’s research has mainly focused upon “big data” outcomes projects. Some of these projects have described the adoption of robotics in Urology, including the adoption of robotic radical nephrectomy, which was published in JAMA. Currently, Dr. Chung has an active laboratory focused on the epidemiology of urologic cancer, specifically kidney cancer, to broaden the understanding of what causes kidney cancer. At present, our understanding of the causes and risk factors for kidney cancer remains frustratingly incomplete. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at ⁠⁠https://www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host, Mr Nathan Nagel, talks to Dr Brian Cohen and discusses robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery and the importance of mentoring other surgeons. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Brian Cohen is a board-certified open, laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery orthopedic surgeon. He is one of the top surgeon adopters worldwide to utilize MAKO robotic arm-assisted hip and knee replacement procedures. He attended medical school at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and completed orthopedic surgery residency training at Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Cohen then completed an intensive sports medicine fellowship training program at Rush Medical School in Chicago, which is nationally recognized for orthopedic and sports medicine excellence. After finishing fellowship training, Dr. Cohen started his career at the Adena Health System in Chillicothe, Ohio. Dr. Cohen played a prominent role in the creation and growth of the Center for Advanced Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine (now known as The Adena Bone and Joint Center) and served as the center’s medical director until 2020. Dr. Cohen then decided to take the next step in his professional development and join OhioHealth at their Columbus campus. In 2022, Brian S. Cohen, MD, joined the Clinical Advisory Board of the Orthopedic Treatment Centers of America. Throughout his training and career, Dr. Cohen has been fortunate to learn from some of the best minds in orthopedic surgery. He believes in paying that forward by mentoring other surgeons. To date, Dr. Cohen has been involved in the hands-on mentoring of over 100 orthopedic surgeons worldwide on enhanced surgical techniques. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at ⁠https://www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Mr Loukopoulos and discusses leading an adult and paediatric robotic donor nephrectomy program. ABOUT THE GUEST Mr Loukopoulos graduated from the Medical School of Athens University in 1997 and completed his training in general surgery in 2005. He worked 6 years as consultant in general surgery and kidney transplantation in Evaggelismos Hospitals in Athens, before moving to UK and Guy’s Hospital in 2012, as senior clinical fellow. In 2013 he was appointed consultant in kidney and pancreas transplantation in Guy’s Hospital. He performs adult and paediatric kidney transplantation, pancreas transplantation, vascular access surgery and minimally invasive live donor nephrectomy. His special interests are paediatric kidney transplantation and robotic surgery for kidney donors and recipients. He leads the robotic donor nephrectomy program at Guy’s Hospital with more than 50 procedures performed and he has developed a training model for robotic kidney transplantation. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Mr Carlo Bravi and discuss his extensive urological surgical training, robotic surgery fellowships, and the importance of mentors. ABOUT THE GUEST Mr Carlo Andrea Bravi is a Urologist specialized in robotic surgery and uro-oncology, currently working at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London. He has extensive experience of robotics and surgical training with a wide range of different surgical platforms. He graduated from University of Bologna (IT) with distinction; he completed his training in Urology at San Raffaele University in Milan (IT). He underwent a clinical research fellowship in biostatistics and epidemiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City (US). He has trained at OLV Hospital in Aalst (BE), a renowned high-volume robotic center, where he has reached proficiency in all major robotic operations performed in Urology as well as in table assistance. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com/

In this episode of GRASP, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Dr David Bunting and they discuss robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) for day-case surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction, and hernia repair. ABOUT THE GUEST David is a Consultant in Upper Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Wall Surgery working at the North Devon Comprehensive Hernia Centre in Barnstaple, Devon, part of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The Centre is currently developing its robotic abdominal wall hernia surgery programme. His undergraduate training was at Guy’s and St. Thomas’s Hospitals Medical School, London. In addition to higher specialist training in the UK, he trained in Australia and South Africa. His clinical interests include robotic surgery, day-case surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction and hernia repair, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), anti-reflux surgery and bile duct exploration. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Mr Nick Carleton-Bland on neurosurgery and his passion for robotic surgery medical education. ABOUT THE GUEST Mr Nick Carleton-Bland is the Deputy Director of Medical Education and Consultant Neurosurgeon at Liverpool’s Walton Centre. He has extensive experience of neuronavigation and MIS. Therefore, he was part of the pioneering team to introduce robotics as the natural progression of these modern techniques. The Walton Centre has now delivered the most robotic spinal surgeries in the UK and Nick has extensive experience with the use of the robotics in trauma, tumour and degenerative cases C-L spine. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Dr Maria Iliakova who highlights her career path to bariatric robotic surgery and discusses the democratization of surgery through innovation. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Maria Iliakova is a bariatric and general surgeon experienced in building bariatric and robotic surgery programs. She specializes in improving patient outcomes through technology integration and workflow efficiency She has participated in numerous presentations and interviews on bariatric surgery, medical weight management, program development, robotic surgery, and the use of AI and robotics in improving healthcare access and delivery.  ABOUT GRASP - ( Global Robotic Assisted Surgery Platform www.roboticsurgery.global ) GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from exceptional RAS surgeons on the leading RAS podcast. The mission of GRASP is to support the career development of surgeons who wish to lead their own RAS procedures. The vision of GRASP is to globally democratise surgery through increased access to RAS to improve patient outcomes. Develop your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgery.global/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Dr Aamir Khan about using third/fourth generation robotic platforms for liver, pancreatic, and upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Khan is an internationally recognised Liver, Pancreas and Upper Gastrointestinal cancer surgeon. After specialist training & certification in foregut cancer surgery in London he obtained focused sub-specialist training in Hepatobiliary Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery & Liver Transplantation at St James Hospital in Leeds and University of Tokyo Hospital following which Mr Khan joined the Royal Marsden faculty in 2008 where he developed one of the busiest specialist practices in London and where he headed one of the top notch teams at the Royal Marsden recognised internationally as a leader in hepatic, biliary tract, gastric and pancreatic surgery. He introduced Robotic Surgery in the United Kingdom having pioneered the first Robotic ALPPS procedure and combined robotic liver and colonic resection and jointly built up the first Robotic HPB Center in the United Kingdom.  ABOUT GRASP - ( Global Robotic Assisted Surgery Platform www.roboticsurgery.global ) GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from exceptional RAS surgeons on the leading RAS podcast. The mission of GRASP is to support the career development of surgeons who wish to lead their own RAS procedures. The vision of GRASP is to globally democratise surgery through increased access to RAS to improve patient outcomes. Develop your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgery.global/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Dr Sami Alasari and they discuss the robotic surgery learning curve and the future of bariatric surgery. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Sami Alasari is a Consultant General surgery, Robotic and Laparoscopic Bariatric surgeon , Oncology Colorectal surgery and Pelvic Floor Disorders, Almouwasat Hospital, Alkhobar Saudi Arabia. ABOUT GRASP - ( Global Robotic Assisted Surgery Platform www.roboticsurgery.global ) GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from exceptional RAS surgeons on the leading RAS podcast. The mission of GRASP is to support the career development of surgeons who wish to lead their own RAS procedures. The vision of GRASP is to globally democratise surgery through increased access to RAS to improve patient outcomes. Develop your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgery.global/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Dr Srivathsan Ramani on how he became the youngest Indian fellowship-trained robotic uro-oncologist. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Srivathsan Ramani is the lead Consultant in the Urooncology department at the Apollo Proton Cancer Center. He is one of the youngest fellowship-trained robotic uro-oncologist in the south of India region. Dr Srivathsan is a patient centric physician and is passionate about creating public awareness about male health issues, especially prostate cancer. He is also a certified proctor for robotic uro-oncological procedures and has helped kickstart robotic surgical programs across the country. He believes in cost-effective robotic surgery so as for the technology to reach the masses. ABOUT GRASP - ( Global Robotic Assisted Surgery Platform www.roboticsurgery.global ) GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from exceptional RAS surgeons on the leading RAS podcast. The mission of GRASP is to support the career development of surgeons who wish to lead their own RAS procedures. The vision of GRASP is to globally democratise surgery through increased access to RAS to improve patient outcomes. Develop your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgery.global/

In this episode of the GRASP podcast, the host Professor Hitendra Patel interviews Dr Sujit Chowdhary and they discuss his pioneering pediatric urology robotic surgery. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Sujit Chowdhary FRCS, is a Pediatric Urologist & Director of Apollo Institute of Pediatric Sciences in New Delhi. He is Gold medalist from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune & obtained basic surgical training at Post Graduate Institute, Chandigarh. He is board certified in Pediatric Urology from American & European Board of Urology. While in UK, he was awarded Guy Baines Registrars Medal of the British Association of Urologists in 1996. He joined on the faculty of the Post Graduate Institute at Chandigarh in 1997, & was appointed as an Associate Professor at Prince of Wales University Teaching Hospital in Hong Kong. While there, he was invited as an examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2003. ABOUT GRASP - ( Global Robotic Assisted Surgery Platform www.roboticsurgery.global ) GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from exceptional RAS surgeons on the leading RAS podcast. The mission of GRASP is to support the career development of surgeons who wish to lead their own RAS procedures. The vision of GRASP is to globally democratise surgery through increased access to RAS to improve patient outcomes. Develop your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgery.global/

In this episode, the host Professor Hitendra Patel talks to Dr Kalpana Nagpal who discusses her route to success in robotic-assisted ENT surgery. ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Kalpana Nagpal, MBBS, MS (ENT), DNB (ENT) is internationally well regarded as one of the leading ENT, including skull base, surgeons in Microscopic, and Endoscopic and Robotic Assisted Surgery. She has over 27 years of experience and trained in robotics from Yonsei University, South Korea. She has her work published in American journal of Rhinology and Indian journal of Otolaryngology. Has completed special research on Allergic Fungal sinusitis.  ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at https://www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com/

In this episode, the host Professor Hitendra Patel introduces the brand new Global Robotic Surgery Podcast (GRASP). He talks to Dr Kalpana Nagpal (MBBS, MS (ENT), DNB (ENT), who is internationally well regarded as one of the leading ENT, including skull base, surgeons in Microscopic, and Endoscopic and Robotic Assisted Surgery. She has over 27 years of experience and trained in robotics from Yonsei University, South Korea. She has her work published in American journal of Rhinology and Indian journal of Otolaryngology. Has completed special research on Allergic Fungal sinusitis. ABOUT GRASP GRASP is for surgeons and other surgical professionals to get to grips with Robotic Assisted Surgery. Learn from leading surgeons and other guests on the Podcast. GRASP also offers accredited training, masterclasses, and commercial services. Advance your career and join the surgical evolution; it is all within your GRASP. Learn more at www.roboticsurgerypodcast.com