Starcare Hospital in Kozhikode stands as a beacon of modern healthcare in Kerala. Promoted by Starcare UK (Starcare Health Systems Ltd), the group began its journey in the United Kingdom before moving its headquarters to Dubai. Today, Starcare operates several hospitals and medical centres, while its Indian arm continues to strengthen roots in Kozhikode, the hometown of its founders.
Starcare made headlines recently when Dr Fazal Rehman, Consultant Spine Surgeon, performed Kerala’s first Endoscopic 3D-Printed Titanium TLIF Spine Surgery. The achievement not only marked a medical milestone for the state but also brought national recognition to Dr Fazal, who is a gold medalist in MS Orthopedics and the first Indian to receive the prestigious Hallet Medal for achieving the world’s highest score in MRCS England exam. He earned a place in the India Book of Records for his achievement.
Dr Fazal pursued his FNB in Spine Surgery, the only National Board-certified spine qualification in India, from the Indian Spinal Injury Centre in Delhi. He is also European Spine Board Certified. He trained in robotic spine surgery with the Mazor X robot by Medtronics and later in Germany with the BrainLab system. His area of expertise lies in minimally invasive spine surgery, combining robotics and endoscopy to achieve precision-driven results.
How Robotics Transforms Surgery
Robotic spine surgery enhances the surgeon’s accuracy to over 99%. Using pre-planned trajectories and real-time 3D navigation, the system allows surgeons to place screws and implants with remarkable precision. “The robot helps plan every move,” Dr Fazal explains. “It reduces the risk of damage to nerves or the spinal cord, ensures smaller incisions, and minimizes blood loss and infection.” Though robotic systems are yet to arrive in Kerala, Dr Fazal performs most of his surgeries using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques.
In endoscopic spine surgery, a small incision allows the surgeon to access the spine using a camera and precision tools. The benefits are substantial: less pain, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, and minimal scaring. “If a patient undergoes endoscopic surgery in the morning, they can often go home by evening or the next day,” he says. “Pain is minimal, and recovery is quick.” He adds that he uses only FDA-approved machines and instruments. While this increases the cost slightly, it ensures maximum safety and precision. “I believe in doing it right the first time. Safe surgery is non-negotiable,” he emphasises.
Virtual Reality: A Glimpse into the Future
Starcare also recently made waves with another first, South India’s first Virtual Reality (VR)-assisted Endoscopic Spine Surgery. In this innovative technique, the surgeon wears VR glasses loaded with the patient’s MRI, CT, and X-ray scans. "Normally, during surgery, I’d have to move to different screens to check scans,” explains Dr Fazal. “With VR, all the images are right in front of me. I can operate and view everything in real time, without breaking focus.” The immersive 3D experience improves accuracy, saves time, and maintains surgical sterility. “For complex, multi-level spine surgeries, this is a game-changer,” he adds.
Faster Recovery, Greater Comfort
Patients who undergo endoscopic or VR-assisted spine surgery typically walk within 12 hours of the procedure and return home within a day. Most of them resume normal activities, walking, driving, and even office work, within a week. “The recovery is phenomenal,” says Dr Fazal. “We also use nerve blocks during surgery to reduce postoperative pain, which means patients need fewer painkillers.”
India Catching Up with Global Tech
According to Dr Fazal, India’s medical technology is evolving fast but still trails behind global standards. “In countries like Germany and Korea, robotic and navigation-assisted surgeries are used in majority of cases. In India, we have just a handful of such systems. Still, the pace of growth is encouraging,” he says.
With pioneers like Dr Fazal Rahman leading the way, Starcare Hospital is setting new benchmarks in spine surgery, proving that the future of healthcare is here to stay.
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