- Pakistan-based patient underwent robotic-assisted nephroureterectomy, performed remotely from Abu Dhabi.
- The real-time robotic surgery was controlled via console from the UAE by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi expert urologists leading the procedures in both countries.
- This milestone demonstrates how telesurgery can expand access to advanced care for complex conditions.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has performed the first cross-border robotic nephroureterectomy via telesurgery between the UAE and Pakistan, connecting its advanced surgical capabilities with a patient located over 1,000 kilometers away. This landmark procedure marks a significant step forward in surgical innovation, care access, and cross-border collaboration.
Dr. Georges-Pascal Haber, Chief Executive Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said, “This remote surgery shows what Abu Dhabi can achieve when expertise and innovation come together, redefining the boundaries of healthcare delivery. We will continue to scale this model with our partners and providers across the global borders, so that world-class care is accessible for every patient no matter their geography.”.
The patient in Pakistan was diagnosed with a complex condition, requiring a nephroureterectomy. Referred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for its expertise in urology and advanced therapies, the hospital performed the surgery remotely using robotic technology. The procedure was guided by Dr. Robert Abouassaly, Chair of the Integrated Surgical Institute, who was by the patient bedside in Pakistan, while Dr. Rabii Madi, Staff Physician, Urology, operated the console at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Robert Abouassaly said, “For this patient, access to advanced robotic surgery in Pakistan would have been difficult and this collaboration helped facilitate access. Through telesurgery, we ensured the highest standards of precision and safety across borders, while providing same advanced, best-in-class care delivered by at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to the patient in Pakistan”. Dr. Abouassaly was by the patient’s side in Pakistan, assessing patient readiness, ensuring safety, and monitoring real-time surgical steps.
Dr. Rabii Madi operated the robotic system from a console in Abu Dhabi. Using a secure, dedicated high-speed digital connection, this telesurgical approach enabled real-time, synchronized coordination, ensuring seamless surgical execution despite the geographical distance. He said, “Telesurgery represents the next frontier of robotic-assisted care. This procedure demonstrated that with the right protocols, remote surgery can deliver the same level of precision, control, and safety as being physically present in the operating theatre”.
The robotic-assisted nephroureterectomy was performed without complications, and the patient experienced minimal pain, rapid recovery, and early discharge, due to the minimally invasive nature of robotic surgery.
Telesurgery can bridge disparities and provide advanced medical care, extending expertise to patients who would otherwise be unable to receive treatment without travelling elsewhere.
This surgery marks another milestone for medical innovation, following Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s collaboration earlier this year with Cleveland Clinic in the U.S. to perform the first-ever transcontinental robotic-assisted focal therapy procedure for prostate cancer. The success of both these procedures opens new pathways for reimagining collaboration and global accessibility to advanced surgical care. By combining robotic precision, cross-border teamwork, and robust digital infrastructure, the hospital is advancing a model of care built on accessibility, continuity, and world-class expertise.
The future of surgical care can transcend borders, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has already taken two steps forward towards this vision, providing access to compassionate healthcare, in different corners of the world.