Ust-Kamenogorsk doctors perform first in Kazakhstan robot-assisted surgery

UST-KAMENOGORSK. KAZINFORM Doctors of the Ust-Kamenogorsk city hospital No. 1 performed the first robot-assisted surgery in Kazakhstan under the supervison of control of the well-known Italian surgeon, Stefano Gidaro, MD, PhD, Kazinform correspondent reports.

The Italian surgeon assited doctors Nartai Turakhanov and Rinat Muzdybayev who recently underwent training in Milan during a cholecystectomy on a 50-year-old patient.

According to the head of the region's healthcare department, Marat Shoranov, Stefano Gidaro will work alongside Kazakh specialists for the next two weeks, performing around 2-3 operations a day.

Akim (governor) of the region Danial Akhmetov congratulated the staff of the hospital on the success of the surgery and stressed that in the next three years East Kazakhstan aims to become a leading center of innovative medicine in the country.

According to him, the opening of the Center for Robotic Surgery and Transplantation in the region is a clear example of an innovative approach. The head of the region added that in its work the Center will closely cooperate with the National Science Centers of Almaty, Astana as well as the Medical University of Semey, thereby integrating treatment, science and education into a unified model of innovative healthcare model.

Mr. Akhmetov noted that training courses for local doctors will be provided within the framework of the equipment supply contracts, without any additional funding from the budget.

Following the today's surgery, Dr. Gidaro praised Kazakhstani specialists for their professionalism, adding that robot-assisted surgeries require coherent work of all team members in the operating room.

Stefano Gidaro, MD, PhD is a Department of Surgery Assistant Professor at the University Chieti-Pescara in Chieti, Italy. He is also a surgical consultant of the TrancEnterix, the supplier of the new robotic equipment to the Ust-Kamenogorsk hospital.