ICMR transports mid-surgery tissue sample via drone for advanced testing

As part of ICMR’s trial run, a tissue sample was transported mid-surgery from a peripheral hospital in Karnataka for advanced pathological testing at a tertiary setting for deciding if the resected tissue was cancerous.

In continuance with the national mission of expanding drone ecosystem in the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) successfully conducted the trial run of transporting onco-pathological samples by drones under its i-Drone initiative on Wednesday.

The drone efficiently transported intraoperative surgical biospecimens surgically excised from the patient from Dr TMA Pai Hospital, Karkala to Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal (tertiary care hospital), covering a distance of approximately 37 km in 15-20 minutes, which takes around 50-60 minutes by road, an official statement said.

Upon arrival, the sample was promptly analysed, and the report was electronically conveyed back to the peripheral hospital. Subsequently, the surgeon proceeded with the surgery based on the received report, it said.

 The trial run as part of a validation study has been undertaken for the first time in the country by the collaborative efforts of ICMR, Kasturba Medical College (KMC) and Dr TMA PAI Rotary Hospital.