Cleveland Clinic completes world's first remotely assisted HIFU procedure for prostate cancer
Cleveland Clinic recently executed the world’s first remotely directed transcontinental robotic-assisted focal therapy for prostate cancer.
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) focal therapy utilizes ultrasound beams to target specific areas of the prostate, effectively removing small tumors. It has emerged as a viable noninvasive precision treatment option for patients whose cancer has not spread beyond the prostate, allowing them to forego surgery and radiation therapy.
Using the Focal-One system, which uses a robotic arm to deliver the treatment, a team of Cleveland Clinic providers worked together in real-time from thousands of miles apart to successfully complete the procedure on a patient in Abu Dhabi. The feat was a result of a collaboration between Ruben Olivares, MD, a urologist in the Glickman Urological Institute at Cleveland Clinic, and Waleed A. Hassen, MD, Department Chair of Urology at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Olivares guided the procedure remotely, while Hassen watched over the on-site execution.
The HIFU procedure took around an hour and was completed without complications. Providers are hopeful that their work will further advance such procedures in areas where patients face barriers to accessing cancer care.
“This innovative remote procedure is a remarkable feat that presents the possibility to manage complex care needs across borders and close global health inequities. We were delighted to have partnered with our colleagues in the U.S. to set a new standard for transcontinental healthcare,” Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, chairman of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said in a news release.
CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Georges-Pascal Haber, MD, PhD, expressed optimism for how the success of the remote procedure will open doors for the future of healthcare in low access areas.
“This procedure exemplifies our vision of leveraging cutting-edge technology with collaborative expertise to set new benchmarks in patient care,” he said. “It is exciting to partner with our colleagues in the U.S. to make history and transform patient outcomes on a global scale. The success of this procedure marks a new era in global surgical collaboration. We envision a future where advanced treatments are accessible to patients regardless of location, reducing health disparities and improving outcomes for everyone.”
Learn more about the successful collaboration here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.