Robot Helps Ukrainian Doctors Save Boy’s Kidney

An eight-year-old boy underwent complex kidney surgery at St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital in Lviv using the Senhance robotic system, one of the most advanced platforms for minimally invasive surgery incorporating artificial intelligence, according to Mezha.

A routine ultrasound had revealed that the boy had hydronephrosis, a condition that impairs urine flow and can lead to kidney failure if left untreated.

During the procedure, doctors used the robot to identify the narrowed area, remove the damaged segment and reconstruct the organ. The system allowed surgeons to operate with high precision while minimizing tissue damage.

A key feature of the Senhance system allows surgeons to control the camera with their eye movements, leaving their hands free, as well as zoom in on images. Another advantage in pediatric surgery is the use of instruments as small as 3 mm in diameter, allowing for smaller incisions.

Professor Narimantas Evaldas Samalavicius of Vilnius University, who has performed more than a thousand robotic procedures, participated in the operation. He and the Lviv team have performed five surgeries together, including the boy’s procedure.

Specialists at the Lviv hospital currently perform around two robotic surgeries a week and plan to increase that number for children from across Ukraine.

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