Robotic-assisted surgery has emerged as a revolutionary advancement in the field of healthcare. The technology enables minimally invasive procedures to be performed more precisely and accurately, with fewer complications and faster recovery times. The use of robotic-assisted surgery has grown exponentially over the past decade, including in Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, which have invested heavily in robotic surgery (Da Vinci and CMR) technology. This has led to an increased demand for surgeons trained in robotic surgery techniques.
Robotic surgery systems can be used in a variety of specialties, including orthopedics, neurosurgery, gastrointestinal surgery, liver surgery, urology, gynecology, cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery, colorectal surgery, bariatric surgery, ENT, oncology, and general surgery. The most commonly used robotic surgery systems in this region are, in fact, da Vinci systems manufactured by Intuitive Surgical and Versius from CMR Surgical.
Significant Robotic Surgery milestones in the Gulf region
Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia was the first country in the Middle East to introduce robotic surgery; consequently, it installed a Da Vinci robotic surgery system in 2003.
- In 2023, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) in Jeddah performed the world’s first fully robotic liver transplantation.
- In September 2024, a cardiac surgery team at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) in Riyadh performed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant. KFSHRC ranks among the top five centers for robotic heart procedures worldwide, having performed more than 400 robotic cardiac surgeries.
- At the end of December 2024, the region’s first robotically-assisted pancreatic transplantation was performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- In January 2025, KFSHRC in Riyadh successfully performed the world’s first robotic-assisted implantation of an artificial heart pump (HeartMate 3) developed by Abbott, a groundbreaking procedure that marks a significant advancement in medical technology and patient care.
Robotic Surgery in Qatar
- In April 2010, the Qatar Robotic Surgery Centre (QRSC) was established. This training center for robotic surgery is a partnership between Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
- In 2018, Qatar’s Sidra Medicine launched its pediatric robotic surgery program, the first of its kind in the Middle East.
- In February 2022, a team from Hamad Medical Corporation’s Liver Surgery department was the first in the Middle East to perform robotic-assisted surgical removal of a choledochal cyst.
Robotic Surgery in the United Arab Emirates
- The first robotic surgery in the UAE was a cardiac procedure performed at Al Qassimi Hospital, a government hospital in Sharjah, in June 2014.
- American Hospital Dubai, also one of the early adopters of robotic-assisted surgery in the UAE, has conducted more than 2,000 robot-assisted surgeries since 2020, averaging about 500 per year. American Hospital Dubai was also the first medical facility in Dubai to install the fourth-generation da Vinci robotic system.
- Mediclinic City Hospital Dubai’s robotic surgery program commenced in 2020. The hospital has been acknowledged as the first regional reference center for case observation in the UAE for da Vinci robotic surgery. A number of ground-breaking surgeries such as robotic kidney donor nephrectomy, a rare robotic transversus abdominis release (TAR) procedure, and robotic pediatric surgery have been performed at Mediclinic City Hospital. The hospital was also the first in the UAE to offer robotic-assisted total/partial knee replacement surgery and has quickly built a strong reputation in this area.
- In August 2023, Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi launched a Da Vinci robotic surgery program, which has since grown to include certified surgeons across many specialties.
- In November 2024, American Hospital Dubai’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery (COERS) became the first private healthcare facility in the UAE to receive accreditation from the US-based Surgical Review Corporation (SRC).
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi performed more than 400 robotic surgical cases in 2024.
What is the current scope of robotic surgery in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar?
Many hospitals, in both the government and private sector, now have robotic surgery programs, including:
United Arab Emirates
- Clemenceau Medical Center (CMC) Dubai – Da Vinci
- American Hospital Dubai: Da Vinci and CMR
- Dubai Hospital, Da Vinci
- Mediclinic City Hospital Dubai—Da Vinci
- Al Zahra Hospital Dubai (CMR)
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD) – Da Vinci
- Burjeel Medical City (BMC) Abu Dhabi—Da Vinci
- Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) Abu Dhabi—Da Vinci
- Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Abu Dhabi—Da Vinci
- Al Qassimi Hospital Sharjah – Da Vinci
- Fakeeh University Hospital Dubai is planning to install a CMR robotic system
(From currently available information, subject to change.)
Saudi Arabia
There are estimated to be over 30 Da Vinci robotic systems installed across major hospitals in Saudi Arabia, including (not an exhaustive list):
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh and Jeddah
- King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh
- Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Medina
- Saudi-German Hospitals
- Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Jeddah
- Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH)
- Mouwasat Hospital Khobar
Qatar
Da Vinci robotic systems are installed across several major hospitals in Qatar, including (not an exhaustive list):
- Hamad Medical Corporation Hospitals
- Sidra Medicine, Doha
- The View Hospital, Doha
Opportunities for Surgeons trained in Robotic-assisted Surgery
Hospitals in the Gulf Region with advanced robotic systems attract talented robotic-trained surgeons from all over the world with the skills to perform highly complex surgeries for patients from both within the region and medical tourists from further afield. Further investment and growth in robotic surgery in the region are projected as demand increases from both residents and those traveling to access world-class surgical care.
Working as a doctor in the Gulf Region offers:
- Exciting career opportunities in a dynamic and growing healthcare sector
- Ability to build up savings with a tax-free salary
- An improved standard of living
- Rich cultural experiences alongside modern infrastructure
- A safe, family-friendly lifestyle in a multicultural environment
- Convenient travel within the region and to other parts of the world
Contact Allocation Assist Middle East today to find out about opportunities in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia: https://www.allocationassist.com/
Read More:
