{
  "id": 15926797,
  "title": "Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City performs UAE's first robotic thyroid surgery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/sheikh-shakhbout-medical-city-performs-uaes-first-robotic-thyroid",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-19T10:01:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/health/sheikh-shakhbout-medical-city-performs-uaes-first-robotic-thyroid-surgery-1.500715847"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On 27th August 2023, doctors at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) in Abu Dhabi performed the UAE's first robotic thyroid surgery on a 27-year-old woman named Caroline. The successful procedure allowed her to return home the following day. Utilizing a robotic system, surgeons made small incisions in Caroline's armpits to access her thyroid gland, avoiding a more visible neck incision. The robotic technique provided doctors with a magnified, three-dimensional view of the area, enabling precise surgery around delicate nerves and glands. Dr Abdulqader Al Messabi, Chief Medical Officer at SSMC, highlighted that this advanced surgical option gives patients in the UAE access to minimally invasive procedures, reducing recovery time and visible scarring compared to traditional methods. Since its launch in 2020, SSMC's robotic surgery programme has conducted over 1,380 robotic-assisted procedures across various medical fields, aiming to bring specialized treatments closer to patients within the region.",
  "summary": "Doctors at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) have successfully performed the UAE’s first robotic thyroid surgery on a 27-year-old woman, allowing her to return home just one day after the procedure. The surgery introduces a new treatment option for eligible patients, allowing doctors to operate on the thyroid gland through small incisions in the armpits instead of making a cut at the front of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "UAE performs first robotic thyroid surgery, patient discharged next day",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/uae-performs-first-robotic-thyroid-surgery-patient-discharged-next-day",
        "published": "2026-10-19T10:01:47.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}