Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Robotic Surgery Repairs Heart Defect in Merchant Navy Aspirant
A 26-year-old man wanted to join the Merchant Navy.
During a medical check-up, doctors found a large hole between the upper chambers of his heart.
This hole let too much blood flow to his lungs and made the right side of his heart work harder.
He had not noticed major symptoms and was otherwise active.
Because of the heart defect, he was declared unfit for the service.
Doctors said a device inserted through a catheter could not close the large defect.
Instead, they used robotic surgery and a special patch to repair it.
He recovered well and left the hospital with normal heart function.
A 26-year-old man was found to have a large congenital atrial septal defect after a routine check-up.
The defect caused excess blood flow to his lungs and strained the right side of his heart.
Doctors at Fortis Escorts Hospital repaired the defect using the Da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system.
A specialised patch was used because the defect was unsuitable for catheter-based device closure.
The patient recovered without reported complications, was removed from the ventilator the same day, and was discharged with normal heart function.
- Who
- A 26-year-old Merchant Navy aspirant and doctors at Fortis Escorts Hospital, led in the statement by Dr Ritwick Raj Bhuyan.
- What
- Doctors repaired a large congenital atrial septal defect using robotic-assisted surgery and a specialised patch.
- When
- The report was dated September 17; the year was not specified.
- Where
- Fortis Escorts Hospital in Okhla, New Delhi.
- Why
- The defect caused excess blood flow to the lungs and strain on the right side of the heart, and its size and anatomy made catheter-based device closure unsuitable.
- Patient
- 26-year-old man aspiring to join the Merchant Navy
- Condition
- Large atrial septal defect, a congenital opening between the heart’s two upper chambers
- Initial detection
- The defect was not detected on a mandatory screening ECG but was later identified by echocardiogram
- Procedure
- Robotic-assisted repair using the Da Vinci Xi system
- Repair method
- Closure with a specialised patch
- Recovery
- Taken off the ventilator the same day and discharged in stable condition
- Outcome
- Normal heart function was reported after recovery