The surgery was conducted by renowned Johns Hopkins University-trained Emirati neurosurgeon Dr Abdul Salam Abu Baker Al Belushi, MD, FAANS

Abu Dhabi: Yas Clinic Group (YCG), a leading research-driven healthcare network based in Abu Dhabi, successfully conducted the first-ever robotic-assisted spine surgery in the UAE on 12 March. 

YCG’s vision is to pioneer medical research locally to ensure that the people of the United Arab Emirates – and beyond – get the best care possible. The surgery was conducted by renowned Emirati neurosurgeon Dr Abdul Salam Abu Baker Al Belushi, MD, FAANS, in partnership with Globus Medical, a US-based company that develops spinal and orthopedic implants and surgical instruments for patients with spine disorders, as part of the group’s mandate to expand the global knowledge base in medical sciences through affiliations with internationally recognized institutes.  

Dr Abdul Salam Al Belushi’s vision is to establish a spine center of excellence in Abu Dhabi, with support and guidance from the esteemed leadership of UAE.

The aim of the center would be to offer Middle East patients cutting edge surgical and non-surgical treatment of spinal pathologies in Abu Dhabi. “We seek to mirror and reflect the global standards of treatments that patients would be getting in the US,” said Dr Abdul Salam Al Belushi. “The center would not only grant patients access to high-quality care locally but would also be tremendously cost-effective, not only for the patients but for the government as well. Only a fraction of neurosurgeons in the US are trained in robotic-assisted spinal surgery, and now, UAE joins the handful of countries globally that conduct such procedures. We will continue to explore all possible options to make Abu Dhabi a medical tourism hub by establishing centers of excellence in various fields at Yas Clinic.”

As part of the collaboration, YCG utilized Globus Medical’s ExcelsiusGPS™ technology, which is designed to improve accuracy and optimize patient care by using robotics and navigation. Medical images are taken and imported into ExcelsiusGPS™ that will be used to determine the size and placement of implants to help guide the robotic arm to a specific region of the spine.

Yas Clinic Group continuously invests in medical innovation for the future, driven by the continuous support of the UAE’s wise leadership. The group facilities offer centers of excellence in heart and vascular, critical care, including organ transplantation, neuroscience, orthopedics, digestive diseases, emergency medicine, surgical specialties, family medicine and women and children’s health, alongside a wide range of diagnostics and imaging services.