Saudi Arabia has achieved a new medical and technological milestone with the successful completion of the Kingdom’s first remote robotic surgery, or telesurgery, in which a medical team in Riyadh operated on a patient located in Jeddah using advanced robotic and communication technologies.
The achievement represents a significant step toward expanding remote robotic surgery and could open new possibilities for delivering specialized medical care across cities without requiring patients to travel to locations where specialist surgeons are based.
Remote Surgery Connecting Riyadh and Jeddah
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs announced the successful procedure, which was performed on a patient at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah.
The surgical robot was remotely controlled by a medical team based at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.
The procedure demonstrated close coordination between the urology surgical teams in both cities and highlighted the potential of advanced communication infrastructure to support specialized remote medical procedures.
KANGDUO – SageBot Platform Used
The operation was carried out using the KANGDUO – SageBot robotic surgery platform, enabling the surgical team in Riyadh to remotely manage the procedure performed on the patient in Jeddah.
The operation combined robotic surgical technology with advanced communication systems, allowing surgeons to control the robotic platform while being physically located in a different city from the patient.
New Possibilities for Specialized Surgery
The successful procedure could pave the way for specialized surgical services to be delivered remotely between cities across the Kingdom.
Such technology has the potential to improve access to highly specialized medical expertise and reduce the need for some patients to travel long distances to receive advanced surgical care.
Remote surgery could also strengthen integration between healthcare facilities and allow specialized medical expertise to be utilized across different regions.
Growing Use of Robotic Surgical Systems
The milestone comes as Saudi Arabia continues to expand the use of advanced robotic systems in surgical procedures, including technologies such as Da Vinci, ROSA and CORI.
The completion of the Kingdom’s first remote robotic surgery marks another development in this field, combining medical expertise, robotics and advanced telecommunications to explore new models of healthcare delivery.
A Step Toward the Future of Digital Healthcare
The achievement reflects the ongoing transformation of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector and its increasing adoption of advanced medical and digital technologies.
As digital infrastructure and robotic surgical systems continue to develop, telesurgery could emerge as a promising tool for expanding access to specialized healthcare services and enabling patients across the Kingdom to benefit from the expertise of highly specialized medical teams.
