Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi of UAE has created a new history in the field of medicine. The doctors of the hospital have successfully operated on a patient in Pakistan while sitting in Abu Dhabi. This is the first cross-border ‘telesurgery’ of its kind, in which the distance between the doctor and the patient was more than 1000 kilometers. The patient had a serious kidney problem, for the treatment of which robotic technology was used.
How was this remote surgery completed?
To carry out this surgery, special robotic systems and high-speed internet were used. The main responsibility of the operation was taken over by Dr. Rabii Madi, staff physician of the Urology Department sitting in Abu Dhabi. Here he gave instructions to the robot through a console. Whereas in Pakistan, Dr. Robert Abouassaly was present in the operation theater for the safety and care of the patient.
Real-time connection was maintained between the two countries during the surgery. Whatever commands Dr. Madi gave to the robot from Abu Dhabi, the robot in Pakistan executed them at the same time. There was no time difference at all in this technique, due to which the surgery was performed with complete accuracy.
Patient’s condition and future plans
In this procedure, an operation to remove the patient’s kidney and its associated tube (nephroureterectomy) was performed. With the use of robotic technology, the patient experienced very little pain and is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon. Dr. Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said that this success proves that geography is no longer a barrier to treatment. The hospital aims to expand this model so that patients in any corner of the world can get the best medical care.