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Slavmed Medical Center has performed Armenia’s first robotic remote surgery, marking a new milestone in the country’s healthcare sector.
The procedure was carried out by one of the world’s leading urologists, Professor Alexandre Mottrie, Head of the Urology Department at OLV Hospital in Aalst, Belgium, and Executive Director of the ORSI Academy. Operating from Belgium, more than 3,300 kilometres away, he performed surgery on a patient at Slavmed Medical Center in Yerevan.
The patient, who had early-stage prostate cancer, underwent a robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. According to the medical centre, the remote procedure was completed safely and successfully, supported by the expertise of Slavmed’s medical team and the clinic’s advanced technological infrastructure.
“From the very first day of Slavmed Medical Center’s establishment, we have chosen the path of continuous development and improvement by embracing modern approaches and innovation. Performing Armenia’s first robotic remote surgery is a landmark achievement for us,” said Slavmed founder Armine Hovakimyan.
Slavmed was the first medical centre in Armenia to introduce robotic surgery and establish a specialised robotic surgical team. The successful procedure was made possible by the Toumai MT-1000 robotic surgical system, equipped with Armenia’s only dedicated module for remote surgery, as well as the clinic’s high-speed internet infrastructure.
According to the medical centre, these technologies allow surgeons to control the robotic system remotely while ensuring a safe and precise operation. Extensive preparatory work was also carried out to synchronise the robotic systems used at the two hospitals.
Mher Mkrtchyan, Head of the Urology Department at Slavmed Medical Center, who remained in the operating theatre alongside the patient throughout the procedure, said: “This is a significant milestone because medicine is beginning to transcend borders. Our patient trusted our clinic and our team and chose this option without hesitation. I was present in the operating room and was ready at any moment to continue the operation immediately if any technical issue arose, so there was never any risk to the patient’s life or health.”
With this achievement, Armenia joins the group of countries capable of providing remote robotic surgery.
Levon Grigoryan, Head of the Robotic Surgery and Endoscopic Service at Slavmed Medical Center, said the accomplishment had been made possible by implementing a comprehensive remote surgery system.
“Our goal is to ensure that every citizen of Armenia has access to medical care at the level of the world’s leading centres. This system allows the expertise of the world’s top specialists to be present in our operating theatres. It also significantly reduces costs for patients, who no longer need to travel abroad and stay there to receive the same treatment,” Grigoryan said.
Professor Alexandre Mottrie praised the cooperation between the two medical teams.
“A good collaboration is absolutely mandatory because we have to be fully aligned. Slavmed has ensured this high standard, reaffirming its role as a leaading center in the region. By introducing robotic telesurgery, the clinic enters a new era, and I want to bring my knowledge and experience into robotic surgery into your hospital in order to give it a head start.,” he said.
According to the medical centre, patient safety was ensured through multiple layers of protection, including backup communication channels in the event of connectivity disruptions, while engineering and surgical teams remained on standby at both locations throughout the procedure.