Just a few years ago, robotic surgery in Georgia seemed like an unimaginable prospect. For Georgian patients, it was available only in other countries, mainly in Western Europe and America. Today, the situation has changed, and for the first time in the Caucasus and Georgia, this technology is available at the Karazanashvili Robotic Center.
How was robotic surgery introduced in Georgia?
Robotic surgery was gradually introduced into medical practice in Georgia. At the end of 2023, the Guram Karazanashvili Robotic Center became the first clinic in the Caucasus and Georgia to introduce the Toumai® surgical system, becoming the first outside China to implement it.
At the end of 2024, 8 months after the introduction of the system, the center performed its 100th robotic surgery. This was the first such milestone in the Caucasus region. If we look at the numbers, the picture becomes even clearer. Over the past two years, more than 300 robotic surgeries have been performed at the center.
Toumai® — a system that works on a different principle
The Toumai® surgical robot works differently compared with traditional laparoscopic or open surgery. The surgeon does not stand at the operating table. They sit at the control console and see the surgical field in three-dimensional HD imaging. The robot precisely reproduces the surgeon’s hand movements with a level of precision unusual for humans. During the operation, blood loss is minimal, the incisions are small, and recovery is fast. Most patients leave the clinic within 2–3 days, and in some cases even earlier.
Operations that were previously technically the most difficult for surgeons, such as the surgical treatment of bladder cancer, have become much more controllable with Toumai®.
A comparison of Toumai® and the classic da Vinci Xi system was conducted in Italy at Agostino Gemelli University Hospital. The results of this study confirm the similarity of the clinical characteristics of the two systems.
Professor Guram Karazanashvili — Who Is Behind the Innovation?
Robotic surgery in Georgia began with the decision of one person. Professor Guram Karazanashvili returned to Georgia after more than 10 years of practice in Europe, including Germany, to introduce a new standard.
He is the President of the Georgian Association of Urologists and the only Georgian surgeon who has completed full certification to work with Toumai®.
The range of complexity of the surgeries performed at the center clearly reflects this change. Many cases that previously required treatment in other countries due to their complexity can now be treated locally.
For Which Operations Is Robotic Surgery Used?
Karazanashvili Robotic Center is the only clinic in the Caucasus where robotic surgery is performed in three main fields: urology, gynecology, and abdominal surgery.
The urological field is the most developed. Prostate cancer, bladder cancer, prostate adenoma, kidney tumors — all of these are now treated locally.
The center also uses the robotic HIFU method based on the Ruth Focal One® system, which is used to treat prostate cancer without surgical intervention. The procedure is performed entirely remotely. The patient leaves the clinic within one day. Sexual function and urinary control are preserved.
Recovery — The Difference That Matters Most to Patients
After open surgery, the patient usually spends weeks in the clinic. In the case of Toumai®, the result is clearly different — less bleeding, less pain, and faster recovery.
For prostate surgery, which takes an average of 1 hour and 45 minutes, this time is minimal.
At the same time, the center also offers patients shock wave therapy. This is a tool for the comprehensive management of chronic conditions and recovery, which complements surgical services at the Karazanashvili Center.
One Standard of Robotic Surgery in Four Cities of Georgia
Karazanashvili Robotic Center has five branches — two locations in Tbilisi, in Digomi and Vake-Saburtalo, as well as in Batumi, Kutaisi, and Zugdidi. This means that one medical standard is available in different parts of the country.
Our doctors — urologists, oncologists, gynecologists, and surgeons — conduct joint consultations in complex cases. Each patient’s case is considered individually. The treatment plan is based on diagnostic results and the clinical picture.
In addition to diagnostic services, the center offers robotic surgery, focal therapy, shock wave treatment, a laboratory, CT, and ultrasound. All of this takes place in one space, coordinated by one team.
To book a visit or consultation, you can contact us online or call us at: (+995) 322 23 40 23.
