Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi performs the first robotic cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC in the UAE

Picture this: a routine surgery turns into a race against time to stop a stealthy, jelly-like tumor from quietly overtaking a woman's abdomen. That's exactly what happened at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where a medical team performed the UAE's first robotic cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy). A jaw-dropping feat in itself, this pioneering operation not only saved a life — it put the country's name on the global map for cutting-edge care.

"We are pushing the boundaries of robotic surgery," said Dr. Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO of the clinic, "and are proud to have used such an advanced technology for a complex procedure like Paola's."

How does it work?

Here's the gist of it:

• The patient, a 48-year-old woman, showed up with signs of appendicitis. But once surgeons opened her up, they found something much sneakier — gelatinous deposits, or in plain terms, cancer slime.
• The culprit? A rare, low-grade mucinous neoplasm of the appendix — essentially a slow-growing tumour that can spill mucus into the abdominal cavity.
• Enter the main event: robotic cytoreductive surgery. Using robotic tools, surgeons delicately removed multiple organs and tumour tissue, sparing no room for error.
• The follow-up punch? HIPEC — heated chemo. After clearing the tumour, doctors flooded the abdominal cavity with chemotherapy heated to 42°C (about 108°F) for 90 minutes to wipe out remaining cancer cells.

Think of it as deep-cleaning the inside of the belly, leaving no cancer cell a place to hide.

Why does it matter?

This wasn't just a fancy procedure — it was a lifeline.

• Appendiceal tumours are sneaky, showing up in only about 1.4% of appendectomy cases.
• Left unchecked, they can lead to a condition grimly nicknamed "jelly belly" — a slow, sticky death sentence.
• But with timely detection, expert hands, and robotic precision, survival odds shoot up.

Dr. Yasir Akmal, who led the operation, summed it up neatly: "Thanks to the timely intervention of the multidisciplinary team, supported by specialised AI-driven diagnostic tools, we were able to eliminate the cancer cells in her body with precision."

It's not just about curing disease anymore — it's about doing it smarter, faster, and with fewer scars, both physical and emotional.

The context

This surgery reflects a bigger shift: the UAE's push to become a beacon for advanced medical care.

• Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is part of that charge, investing in surgical innovation and AI-backed diagnostics.
• Robotic surgery is no longer science fiction — it's daily practice in forward-thinking hospitals.

And for patients like this one, who went from a possible death sentence to a clear post-op scan, it's proof that the future of healthcare is already here.

So yes, "first in the UAE" is a headline. But behind it is a larger story — a region reshaping itself not just as a destination for business or leisure, but for world-class healing.