New Delhi (PTI): Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Wednesday claimed they carried out the world's first robotic surgery to remove a tumour in the bladder which was leading to hypertension in the patient.

Termed medically as bladder pheochromocytome, the tumour is a catecholamine secreting growth of chromaffin cells and gives rise to hypertension.

The patient, 53-year-old Ram Chander, presented himself with a history of high blood pressure and difficulty in passing urine since the last two-and a half years.

On CT scan, it was found that he had a tumour in the urinary bladder which was giving rise to back pressure effect on the left ureter and kidney.

Giving details of the surgery, Prof Narmada P Gupta, Head of the Department of Urology at AIIMS, said a double-J stent was passed to relieve the obstruction of the left kidney.

The diagnosis of pheochromocytome was further confirmed by blood and urine test and MIBG scan. He was taken for robotic surgery for the removal of the tumour from the urinary bladder and re-implantation of the ureter.

Five small key hole incisions were made and surgery was completed within a duration of three hours with 150 ml blood loss, Gupta said.

The Patient's blood pressure has returned to normal after the surgery yesterday and he is recovering well and will be ready to go home in 2-3 days.