A kidney operation using 3-D modelling technology performed by doctors in Dubai is said to be the first of its kind in the region.

The operation was performed by Dr Yaser Al Saeedi, consultant urologist at Dubai Hospital, on a 42-year-old Palestinian expatriate who had a tumour in her kidney.

Humaid Al Qatami, chairman of the board and director general at the Dubai Health Authority, said that 3-D technology helps doctors better for surgery and perform minimally invasive procedures.

“Using 3-D technology for surgeries and other medical purposes is the future, and we are currently working on developing regulations for 3-D printing for patients and the medical sector in Dubai,” he said.

“We are also looking at training doctors and healthcare professionals on the use of this technology.”

Dr Al Saeedi said he requested a 3-D kidney model to assist him in preparing for the complex operation to remove only the tumour and not the entire kidney.

“In this case, when the doctor informed us that he would benefit from a 3-D model to plan the surgery pre-operatively, we got a 3-D model manufactured from the United States,” said Dr Mohammad Al Redha, director of organisational transformation at DHA.