Dr. Mohana Rao (Dr. Rao) Redefines Indian Neurosurgery: Economic Times Spotlights Guntur's Global Brain and Spine Leader

India’s First BrainPath Surgery to the Nation’s Only Hybrid Neurosurgical OR of its kind, Dr. Patibandla (Dr Rao) Puts Guntur on the Map — The Economic Times

GUNTUR, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA, May 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Dr. Rao’s Hospital in Guntur Sets New Benchmarks in Neurosurgery with National Awards, BrainPath Technology, and India’s First Hybrid OR

Dr. Mohana Rao Patibandla, founder and chief neurosurgeon of Dr. Rao’s Hospital in Guntur, continues to lead India’s neurosurgical innovation with prestigious national awards, cutting-edge technology, and groundbreaking surgeries. Most recently, Dr. Rao was named “Best Minimally Invasive Neurosurgeon, Spine Surgeon and Endovascular Surgeon in India 2025” by the Topnotch Foundation at the Sardar Patel Unity Summit & Awards held in Goa.

Dr. Rao’s Hospital has pioneered several firsts in Indian neurosurgery. It performed India’s first minimally invasive BrainPath surgery to access deep-seated brain lesions and remains the only facility in the country with an integrated hybrid neurosurgical operating room (OR). This state-of-the-art OR combines biplane angiography, intraoperative CT, neuronavigation, and neuromonitoring – enabling real-time, image-guided, open, and endovascular neurosurgery in the same suite.

Bringing World-Class Neurosurgery to a Tier-3 City

Rather than pursuing an international career after receiving extensive training abroad, Dr. Rao returned to Andhra Pradesh to bring world-class neurosurgical care to underserved communities. His Guntur-based hospital now serves as a regional hub for complex brain and spine procedures, previously only available in cities like Delhi or Mumbai.

With a strong focus on accessibility, Dr. Rao’s Hospital is fully integrated with all the insurance systems, enabling patients from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to receive high-end surgeries at little cost. The hospital also maintains telemedicine services, digital health records, and a robust insurance billing system, making quality care both transparent and scalable.

Revolutionizing Brain Surgery with BrainPath and AI

In 2024, Dr. Rao’s team performed India’s first BrainPath-guided minimally invasive brain tumor resection, using advanced tractography to map a safe surgical corridor and a tubular port to reach deep brain regions with minimal trauma. The patient recovered faster with fewer complications, and Dr. Rao has since presented outcomes data at major neurosurgical conferences.

The BrainPath procedure is part of a broader adoption of Minimally Invasive Parafascicular Surgery (MIPS) at Dr. Rao’s Hospital. In a published study of 37 patients, over 90% experienced reduced post-operative pain, and more than half regained significant neurological function. ET HealthWorld has called the work “a significant advancement in neurosurgery,” citing its safety, efficacy, and patient-centered outcomes.

India’s First Fully Integrated Hybrid Neurosurgical OT

The hospital’s neurosurgical suite is the only one in India to house a biplane cath lab, intraoperative CT, neuronavigation, neuromonitoring, and AI-enabled robotic tools – all under one roof. This setup allows real-time image-guided brain and spine surgeries, emergency stroke thrombectomy, and minimally invasive aneurysm coiling with unmatched precision.

Dr. Rao also emphasizes continuous learning. His hospital regularly organizes training workshops for surgeons, anesthetists, and nurses on advanced neurosurgical techniques, helping disseminate expertise throughout South India.

Inclusive Healthcare Through Technology

With telemedicine and remote diagnostics in place, Dr. Rao’s Hospital ensures that patients from rural and tribal areas can consult with top-tier specialists through video platforms and mobile-linked diagnostic systems. The hospital's digital health record system simplifies patient tracking, data analytics, and coordination between departments – ensuring seamless care delivery.

Further, the hospital has partnered with private and public insurance providers to enable cashless neurosurgical care, and it is actively scaling its tele-ICU and rural outreach networks.

A Model for Decentralized Excellence in Healthcare

According to ET CIO, Dr. Rao’s vision represents “a paradigm shifts in healthcare delivery – decentralizing excellence and redefining what’s possible outside India’s metro corridors.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Rao plans to scale the hospital’s model across more towns in Andhra Pradesh, combine AI diagnostics with personalized treatment plans, and deepen its research into minimally invasive and functional neurosurgery.

Quote from Dr. Rao:
“We are thrilled to bring the BrainPath system to Guntur and India, offering our patients a safer, more effective, and minimally invasive option for brain surgery,” said Dr. Rao. “This achievement is a testament to our relentless pursuit of innovation and our unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to our patients.”

Press Contact: