Kuwaiti Medical Professionals Trained at Seoul Asan Medical Center Establish Local Society and Request Continued Transfer of Korean Medical Expertise

Professor Tae-Yon Sung from the Division of Endocrine Surgery at Asan Medical Center Introduces Kuwait’s First Robotic Surgery for Endocrine Disorders

▲ Professor Tae-Yon Sung from the Division of Endocrine Surgery at Asan Medical Center  (second from left) demonstrates advanced surgical techniques for recurrent thyroid cancer cases to local medical professionals in Kuwait.

The Endocrine Surgery team led by Professor Tae-Yon Sung from the Division of Endocrine Surgery at Asan Medical Center recently returned from Kuwait after sharing advanced robotic thyroid surgery techniques at the invitation of the Ministry of Health Kuwaiti. The procedures marked the first robotic surgery for endocrine disorders ever performed in Kuwait.

Professor Tae-Yon Sung’s transfer of surgical expertise was conducted through Kuwait’s first Endocrine Surgery Society, which was established by Kuwaiti medical professionals who had previously completed training at the Division of Endocrine Surgery at Asan Medical Center. After returning home, they played a leading role in highlighting the need for endocrine surgery and advancing the country’s medical standards. The initiative has been widely recognized as a clear example of how Asan Medical Center’s international medical scholar training program contributes to sustainable development of healthcare systems abroad.

From December 2, Professor Tae-Yon Sung and his team from the Division of Endocrine Surgery at Asan Medical Center spent three days in Kuwait performing a total of five high complexity thyroid surgeries and sharing advanced surgical expertise. The procedures included robotic transaxillary thyroidectomy, posterior retroperitoneal adrenalectomy using robotic systems, and surgery for recurrent thyroid cancer patients.

The robotic surgery for endocrine disorders, performed for the first time in Kuwait, was observed by more than 40 local medical professionals, who received hands-on training in advanced surgical techniques.

Robotic surgery enables greater precision through robotic arms that move with a range of motion similar to the human wrist. Surgeons can view the operative field in high resolution, reducing the risk of injury to major blood vessels and surrounding structures.

In particular, robotic transaxillary thyroid surgery requires only a single incision measuring approximately 4 to 5 cm in the axillary area. This approach minimizes scarring, postoperative pain, and bleeding, while reducing the risk of complications, and is therefore widely performed in Korea.

In Kuwait, however, the number of hospitals equipped with robotic surgical systems remains limited, and treatment techniques in the field of endocrine surgery have developed at a particularly slow pace.

This latest transfer of surgical expertise by Professor Tae-Yon Sung originated from Professor Shaima Dashti of Al Amiri Hospital in Kuwait, who previously completed clinical training at Asan Medical Center. After finishing a clinical fellowship in the Division of Endocrine Surgery at Asan Medical Center from 2021 to 2022, Professor Shaima Dashti has actively promoted the expertise and clinical know how acquired at Asan Medical Center, while advocating for the advancement of endocrine surgery in Kuwait.

As part of these efforts, Kuwait’s first professional organization dedicated to endocrine surgery, the Kuwait Society of Endocrine Surgery (KSES), was established. At its inaugural symposium, held from December 5 to 6, Professor Tae-Yon Sung delivered lectures to Kuwaiti medical professionals on advanced surgical techniques, including the transfer of high complexity procedures, robotic surgical systems, and postoperative patient management.

In recognition of his successful transfer of advanced surgical techniques and academic contributions, Professor Tae-Yon Sung received plaques of appreciation from the Minister of Health Kuwaiti and the Kuwait Society of Endocrine Surgery.

“The significance of the ASAN International Visiting Scholars (IViS) Program lies not merely in demonstrating our surgical expertise, but in educating overseas medical professionals and empowering them to return home and bring meaningful change to their healthcare systems and medical culture,” said Professor Tae-Yon Sung and his team from the Division of Endocrine Surgery at Asan Medical Center. “I hope this initiative will help patients with endocrine disorders in Kuwait gain access to better treatment and improved care.”