For decades, surgery meant long hospital stays, deep incisions, and weeks of recovery. However, protocols across Bengaluru are changing rapidly. With the rise of laparoscopic techniques—often requiring incisions no bigger than a centimetre—surgeons are now performing complex procedures with minimal trauma, faster turnaround, and far fewer complications.
At the frontlines of this shift is Ramakrishna Hospitals, Jayanagar, where minimally invasive techniques are no longer reserved for rare or complex cases—they’re now the standard for common surgeries like hernia repair, gallbladder removal, piles and thyroid issues. Patients increasingly seek out laparoscopic options, and with experienced hands like Dr. Rajeev Premnath leading the program, results have been consistent and reliable. As a trusted Laparoscopic Surgeon in Bangalore, Dr. Premnath brings both the surgical skill and systems-level thinking needed to scale these techniques safely. His work focuses on day care models—where patients are discharged just hours after surgery—offering a clear alternative to the older, hospital-heavy approaches that still dominate in many centers.
“The biggest shift is the tools and what they allow us to do for our patients,” says Dr. Premnath, who leads the hospital’s day care surgical services. With better technology and improving skill set of surgeons we are able to do more precise surgery. The contrast with open surgery is stark. Traditional hernia repair, for example, often meant days in the hospital and two to three weeks before resuming work. With laparoscopic repair, many patients leave the hospital the same day and are up and about in less than a week. Scars are minimal. Infections are rare. Blood loss is negligible. For working professionals and elderly patients especially, that difference is critical.
Dr. Premnath adds, “We see patients walk into the hospital in the morning with significant pathology—and walk out by evening. That kind of recovery isn’t theoretical. It’s happening everyday.”
Technological advances have played a major role. High-definition optics, improved mesh systems and specialised devices like the 3D and Prolene/Ultrapro Hernia System now make laparoscopic and open surgery more precise and long-lasting. Ramakrishna Hospitals has also implemented structured programs like the Hitech Hernia Program, offering tailored repairs for complex hernias—something few centers in the region provide.
“We’re seeing better surgical outcomes because we’ve refined both the technique and the decision-making around it,” says Dr. Premnath. “It’s not about offering fancy surgery—it’s about offering the right surgery, at the right time, with the right tools.”
Patient expectations have changed, too. One patient, a 39-year-old with gallstones and a busy work schedule, delayed surgery for months fearing hospital time. “When I explained we’d do the procedure through minilaparoscopic techniques (incisions as small as 2.8 mm) and discharge him the same day, the relief on his face said it all,” recalls Dr. Premnath. “He came back to the clinic walking straight, no painkillers and said, ‘That’s it? I should’ve done this months ago.’”
Still, the technique isn’t a fit for every case—and that’s where surgical judgment matters. “Laparoscopy gives us better outcomes, but only when used correctly,” says Dr. Premnath. “We evaluate each case carefully. Not every patient needs surgery and not every condition needs a laparoscope. But when it fits, it changes everything.”
The value isn’t just clinical—it’s economic. Shorter hospital stays mean reduced costs, lower infection rates, and fewer lost workdays. For India’s urban, working-class patients, where healthcare access often comes with financial strain, that matters.
As hospitals move toward outpatient surgical models, laparoscopic techniques will continue to be central to that shift. For patients, that means faster solutions. For surgeons, it means working with greater precision and purpose. And for healthcare systems, it’s a chance to treat more people, more safely, in less time.
📍 Dr. Rajeev Premnath
🏥 Ramakrishna Hospitals – Jayanagar
📌 24 & 26, 15th Cross, 3rd Block Jayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560011
📞 080-67 800 103 / 116
WhatsApp 9008204466
About Dr. Rajeev Premnath
Dr. Rajeev Premnath is a General and Laparoscopic Surgeon and Endoscopist based in Bangalore. He heads the Day Care Surgery Department at Ramakrishna Hospitals, Jayanagar. Trained in France, Germany and Italy, Dr. Premnath specializes in laparoscopic hernia repair, proctology, thyroid surgery, and day care minimally invasive procedures. He is a Fellow of several international surgical societies and has pioneered advanced techniques such as VAAFT and EPSiT in Karnataka.
