An Abu Dhabi-based hospital for serious and complex care has successfully repaired a bile duct injury in an Emirati patient using an innovative robotic surgery system.
The 30-year-old patient was admitted to Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) with clinical features of bile duct injury – a rare complication that can happen following a surgical procedure related to multiple gallstones and of acute cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) – which has an incidence rate of three to six cases per thousand.
Radiological investigations, including a CT scan and MRI, confirmed bile duct injury. The patient was scheduled for a delayed bile duct injury repair performed using SSMC’s surgical robotic-assisted technology.
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Dr Salem Al Harthi, consultant and chair of the surgery department at SSMC, led the surgery, which marked another significant achievement in minimally invasive surgery and robotic-assisted procedures.
“Using the latest technologies in robotic-assisted surgery, I was able to perform precise surgical repair through extremely small incisions. The use of intra-venous dye, robotic magnification, and precise instrument control, facilitated the complex anastomosis between the bile duct injury and the small bowel, in very close proximity to the liver. The surgery proved successful, even under the most challenging anatomical conditions,” Dr Al Harthi said while explaining the innovative approach.
Dr Al Harthi noted that robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to perform a highly intricate procedure with higher levels of precision and control.
“In this case, it provided our multidisciplinary surgical team with an unparalleled visualisation of the bile duct anatomy, enabling us to achieve optimal outcomes for the patient.”
The patient made a full recovery and was discharged within three days.
Dr Abdulqader Almessabi, acting chief medical officer at SSMC, highlighted: “This milestone achievement underscores SSMC’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology, innovation, and expertise to provide world-class health care services to our patients. It also further highlights SSMC’s position as a health care centre of excellence that is proudly leading the way in the UAE and the region on next-generation, personalised care.”