Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi congratulated Dr. Saad Al-Dousari and the assisting team at Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Kidney and Urology on the successful pioneering prostatectomy.
The surgery, using remote robotic surgery technology from the Italian city of Padua, approximately 4,000 kilometres away, was conducted on a Kuwaiti patient aged 62, said a statement from the Ministry of Health on Thursday.
Dr. Al-Dousari carried out the procedure with the assistance of the surgical team, comprising Dr. Ahmad Al-Marzouq and Dr. Khaled Al-Ali, according to the statement.
Minister Al-Awadhi affirmed that this achievement demonstrates the expertise of Kuwaiti medical professionals and their advanced scientific and technological capabilities. It also reflects the Ministry of Health's commitment to providing state-of-the-art equipment, infrastructure and secure communications systems, contributing to improving the quality of healthcare and enhancing the State of Kuwait's position on the global map of robotic surgery.
The Minister noted that such successes are the result of continued investment in human resources and modern medical technologies, stressing Kuwait's readiness to cooperate with healthcare and academic institutions and international organisations in developing robotic and remote surgery and expanding equitable access to advanced surgical services, particularly in remote and underserved areas, in continuation of Kuwait's global humanitarian
role.
The surgery was transmitted live as part of the activities of the annual conference of the European Association of Urology Robotic Urology Section, in a step reflecting the advanced level reached by Kuwait in robotic surgery and remote-surgery technologies, as well as the competence of national medical teams in employing the latest technologies to serve patients.
With the successful completion of this operation, the total number of remote robotic procedures performed by Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Kidney and Urology since December 2024 has risen to 15, including 12 cross-border and intercontinental operations: eight operations from Shanghai, China, approximately 7,000 kilometres away; two from Strasbourg, France, approximately 5,100 kilometres away; one from Muscat, Oman,
approximately 1,590 kilometres away; and the latest operation from Padua, Italy, in addition to three remote procedures conducted within Kuwait.
All these surgeries were successful, statement said, noting that the number of cross-border and intercontinental remote robotic operations performed by the centre is the highest of its kind worldwide.
The statement added that the operation was carried out through a direct connection via a high-bandwidth fibre-optic network in cooperation with Zain, ensuring rapid transmission of surgical commands and stable communication between the surgeon and the robotic system throughout the procedure.
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