Pakistani-born surgeon sets new British record with over 400 robotic gynae procedures

British-Pakistani consultant gynaecologist and robotic surgeon Dr Amer Raza (left) and the da Vinci Surgical System. — Reporter British-Pakistani consultant gynaecologist and robotic surgeon Dr Amer Raza has set a new record in Britain, having pioneered single-port robotic gynaecological surgery and led a programme at London's Cromwell Hospital that has now completed more than 400 procedures using the technology. Raza, a graduate of Nishtar Medical College in Multan, and his team have used the single-port approach in increasingly complex cases, extending its application from benign gynaecological procedures to complex endometriosis surgery. The programme has also opened its doors to doctors and surgeons from the UK and overseas for training and surgical observation. Unlike conventional multi-port robotic surgery, which generally requires several abdominal incisions, single-port robotic surgery allows the camera and multiple robotic instruments to operate through one abdominal entry point, Dr Amer Raza told Geo News in an interview. Dr Raza, Lead Consultant for Endometriosis and Robotic Surgery at Cromwell Hospital, has been praised in UK media coverage for pioneering single-port robotic gynaecological surgery. The operating theatre where Dr Raza and his team perform complex single-port robotic procedures has also become a centre for training and surgical observation, attracting surgeons from across the UK and Europe, as well as the United States and other parts of the world. 'More than 100 surgeons from the UK and abroad have visited our centre to learn about single-port robotic gynaecological surgery. Surgeons and consultants travel to London to observe us carrying out complex single-port robotic operations, exchange experience and learn how the technology can be applied to some of the most challenging cases in gynaecological surgery,' Dr Raza shared. He has also received two Master Surgeon accreditations in Robotic Surgery and Advanced Endometriosis Care for his work in robotic surgery and the treatment of complex endometriosis, becoming the only consultant to hold two such Master Surgeon accreditations in Europe. The British-Pakistani surgeon received the accreditations from the US-based Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) following an external review of his surgical practice, outcomes, complications, governance and standards of patient care. The latest achievement comes just three years after Dr Raza made another record while leading a surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System for the treatment of endometriosis, a condition that can seriously affect women's health and fertility. He had then led a team of surgeons to perform the maximum number of complex gynaecological operations in two days at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, setting a new record not only in the use of robotic technology but also by carrying out 12 major operations in a single day. Dr Raza told Geo News that endometriosis is a condition in which women can suffer from severe pelvic and period pain and which can have a major adverse impact on fertility and quality of life. The condition can affect not only the pelvic organs but also the bowel, bladder, urinary tract, nerves and, in some complex cases, the diaphragm. The disease can affect women from a young age onwards, and tens of millions of women across the world suffer from the condition. Dr Raza said: 'Our work covers some of the most difficult forms of endometriosis, including complex disease affecting the bowel, urinary tract and diaphragm, as well as robotic hysterectomy, myomectomy and other advanced gynaecological procedures. I believe that complex endometriosis cannot be treated by one surgeon alone. My philosophy is that surgery should form only one part of a woman's endometriosis journey, with diagnosis, recovery, pain management, fertility, psychological wellbeing and long-term support all forming part of comprehensive care.' Originally trained in Pakistan, Dr Raza has worked in the United Kingdom for more than 25 years and has worked in advanced endometriosis treatment, minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery. Despite spending most of his professional career in Britain, Dr Raza maintains links with Pakistan and believes advances in robotic surgery, artificial intelligence, surgical education and modern women's healthcare should be shared internationally rather than confined to individual hospitals or countries. He said: 'I regularly travel to Pakistan to help patients and new doctors. Pakistan gave me education, identity and resources to be able to make an impact in the UK health care system. I will be working with partners in Pakistan to transfer the same technology and procedures to Pakistan, where there is a serious need for upgraded medical care. 'I have made it a mission to train the next generation of surgeons, raising awareness of endometriosis and other neglected women's health conditions, and strengthening collaboration between clinicians in Pakistan, the UK and internationally. Innovation has real value only when it improves patient care, and knowledge has greater value when we share it.'