Yas Clinic – Khalifa City unveils advanced AI-powered robotic surgery

There's a quiet revolution happening in the operating room — and it's not just about steady hands and bright lights anymore. At Yas Clinic - Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi, the future of surgery has officially clocked in, scrubbed up, and gone robotic. With the launch of an AI-powered robotic spine surgery program, the clinic is stepping boldly into a new era of precision medicine that's already changing lives.

"Robotic surgery is no longer the future of medicine - it's our advanced reality today," says Dr. Maysoon Al Karam, Chief Medical Officer at the clinic. And she's not just whistling Dixie. The first two spine surgeries performed using this new tech have already shown impressive results — less pain, quicker recovery, and smaller scars.

How does it work?

Let's break it down: the system pairs AI smarts with robotic muscle. Surgeons sit at an intelligent console — think video game meets high-stakes medicine — and control a robot that performs delicate procedures inside the body. Meanwhile, a cutting-edge navigation system gives real-time guidance, like GPS for surgical instruments.

What does that mean for patients?

• Minimal invasiveness
• Lower risk of complications
• Faster recovery and shorter hospital stays
• More accurate interventions, even in complex cases

Professor Amr El-Shawarbi, a consultant neurosurgeon with a specialization in robotic surgery, puts it plainly: "The exceptional precision this system provides gives our patients higher chances of recovery with greater safety."

Why does it matter?

This isn't just about flashy tech — it's about better outcomes for people who are often in serious pain. Take the two patients recently treated with the robotic system: both in their 50s and 60s, both suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis and disc herniation. These conditions had them battling nerve pain and struggling to walk. Thanks to the new tech, they're now on the mend — faster than anyone expected.

• Shorter hospital stays mean less disruption to patients' lives
• Lower pain levels and faster healing improve quality of life
• Less invasive surgery reduces the long-term physical toll on the body

When it comes to back surgery — a procedure often associated with long, difficult recoveries — this system is a game-changer.

The context

Yas Clinic's move isn't happening in a vacuum. It's part of a broader, ambitious vision to lead in advanced surgical care not just in Abu Dhabi, but across the region. The medical team behind the new programme has gone through rigorous international training to stay aligned with global gold standards.

This push toward innovation fits into the clinic's wider goals, covering specialties from neurosurgery to orthopaedics and beyond. And they're just getting started. With plans to expand robotic surgery into more specialties and a continued commitment to investing in top-tier medical staff and tools, the clinic is carving out a serious reputation.

In a world where healthcare often struggles to keep pace with tech, Yas Clinic is proving it doesn't have to be that way. They've shown that, with the right tools and training, the future of medicine isn't just possible — it's already here.