HMC's Heart Hospital performs robotic coronary artery bypass graft surgeries

Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) Heart Hospital has expanded its use of surgical robots in coronary artery bypass grafting (Robotic CABG) surgeries.Robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting surgeries aim to enhance natural blood flow to the heart muscle and offer a less invasive and more precise alternative to traditional procedures, enabling faster recovery and reducing the risk of complications for patients.The advanced surgeries are performed under the supervision of a specialised surgical team that includes Dr Abdulwahid al-Mulla, Senior Consultant and Head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at Heart Hospital, alongside Dr. Ali Kindawi, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon; Dr. Mohamed Latif Wani, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon; and Dr. Mohamed al-Kahlout, Specialist Cardiothoracic Surgeon, said HMC in a press statement Sunday.Dr. Abdulwahid al-Mulla said: "Heart Hospital has introduced minimally invasive techniques for coronary artery bypass and mitral valve surgeries to ensure the delivery of high-quality healthcare services to patients in Qatar and to remain at the forefront of global surgical advancements. This aligns with HMC's Healthcare Strategy 2024-2030, the National Health Strategy 2024-2030, and Qatar National Vision 2030.""Integrating advanced technologies like robotics into cardiothoracic surgeries significantly improves patient experience, shortens the patient's recovery time, and minimises complications. Patients are carefully selected for these procedures based on their health status to ensure suitability for this type of surgery and optimal patient outcomes," added Dr al-Mulla.Dr. Mohamed al-Kahlout highlighted the significance of introducing robotics in coronary artery procedures. This procedure is performed through a small incision, no longer than 6 centimetres, on the left side of the chest, replacing the traditional sternotomy. However, other surgical steps, such as placing the patient on a heart-lung machine and temporarily stopping the heart, remain unchanged.He added that robotic-assisted cardiac surgeries reduce recovery times and hospital stays by approximately one-third compared to conventional open-heart procedures."In 2024, we successfully treated over 10 cases involving more than one bypass. We aim to increase this number to 25 cases in 2025. It is important to highlight that this is an exceptionally advanced procedure, performed by only a handful of specialised centres worldwide, which places Heart Hospital among the leading medical institutions in the field of cardiothoracic surgery," said Dr al-Kahlout.Heart Hospital initially began performing coronary artery surgeries on a limited scale about 15 years ago, focusing on single-artery bypasses. However, with advancements in surgical techniques, particularly in early 2024, the hospital expanded to multi-artery procedures.