Robotic surgery saves Emirati from cancer

The medical team at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi successfully performed surgery on an Emirati woman, Maya Al Hajri, 59, a mother of five, to remove a rare type of cancer called “ampullary” with the help of advanced robotic surgery, after Maya was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.

The surgery took more than 8 hours and involved the precise removal of multiple organs.

Maya had previously recovered from breast cancer, which she had been diagnosed with before. She overcome the disease then but it returned with a rare type of cancer called “ampullary,” which affects the bile ducts and the pancreas.

During the surgery, which was performed using the Da Vinci robotic technology, the doctors removed the gallbladder, parts of the pancreas, stomach, and surrounding tissues.

Seven years ago, Maya was diagnosed with breast cancer and was treated for it in 2019, but in July 2024, she developed jaundice due to a blockage in the bile duct. Doctors discovered a tumour in the area surrounding the junction of the bile ducts and the pancreas, and they recommended a “Whipple” procedure, which is a high-risk surgery to remove the gallbladder, bile duct, part of the pancreas, stomach, small intestine, and lymph nodes. The surgery was indeed performed using the Da Vinci robot, which the hospital has provided since 2023.

Dr Ali Ayoub, a consultant and head of the Digestive Surgery Department at Burjeel Hospital, said, “The surgery went smoothly and successfully, and it included a very complex reconstruction of the digestive system’s food and pancreatic juice pathways after the removal of the affected organs.”

He added that the robotic technology significantly reduced the risk of unintentional damage to surrounding organs, reduced blood loss, and improved the overall reconstruction process, besides facilitating a safer and more precise reconnection of the smaller bile ducts and pancreas, reducing the likelihood of leaks that could complicate recovery.

Dr Ayoub pointed out that the patient recovered quickly thanks to the precision and efficiency of the robot, which allowed her to return to her normal life sooner than expected.