The kidney was saved: in Lviv an 8-year-old boy was operated on by an AI-equipped robot surgeon

An 8-year-old boy was saved by high-precision surgery

Цей матеріал також доступний:

07 Sep 2026

0 703

у Львові прооперували 8-річного хлопчика

In Lviv, doctors saved the kidney of an 8-year-old boy from the Ternopil region by performing a complex, high-precision procedure using the Senhance robotic system with built-in artificial intelligence technologies. One of the first patients operated on with the new system was Olezhyk, who was diagnosed with hydronephrosis. The successful treatment was reported by the St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital of the First Medical Association of Lviv.

The parents learned about their son’s condition by chance during a routine ultrasound. The examination showed that one of the child’s kidneys was enlarged. After consulting specialists at the St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital, the boy received a final diagnosis — hydronephrosis.

This condition occurs due to impaired urine outflow from the kidney. Urine accumulates inside the organ, gradually damaging its tissues. Without proper treatment, the disease can lead to significant loss of kidney function and the need for its removal.

In Olezhyk’s case, the organ could be saved with a complex, high-precision surgical procedure. For the operation, Professor from Vilnius University Narimantas Evaldas Samalavicius came to Lviv specifically for the boy and four other patients. He is one of the leading European specialists in minimally invasive and robotic surgery and has already performed more than 1,000 robotic procedures.

Together with the professor, the surgeries were performed by a team of Lviv surgeons who are mastering the Senhance system. The St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital notes that the facility is the only one in Ukraine that has its own pediatric surgical robot. The robot does not operate independently — it is a high-precision instrument controlled by the surgeon.

During Olezhyk’s operation, the medical team precisely identified the site of the stricture using Senhance and removed the pathologically altered segment. After that, the surgeons reconstructed the organ to restore its normal function. The operation passed without complications.

One of Senhance’s features is a camera control system that follows the surgeon’s gaze. Built-in technologies help the doctor examine the tiniest anatomical structures during the intervention. The system also allows the use of instruments with a diameter of only 3 mm, enabling extremely precise work near vessels and healthy tissues and reducing blood loss.

Professor of Vilnius University Narimantas Evaldas Samalavicius, during the joint operations, was to assess the training of the Lviv robotic team and their ability to independently perform such procedures in the future. Before his departure he highly praised the hospital’s level and the work of Ukrainian medical staff.

“You exceeded all my expectations. This is a European-type hospital. I am glad that, despite the tense situation in Ukraine, one of the most modern robotic systems is beginning to operate here. This is about moving together with world medicine, reducing human error, quick patient recovery and rehabilitation after intervention,” — emphasized Narimantas Evaldas Samalavicius before his departure.

According to the hospital, Olezhyk is now healthy. After treatment, the boy was given a symbolic transformer robot — a keepsake to remember the technology that helped the doctors save his kidney.

Oksana Mahas, the boy’s mother, sincerely thanked the doctors:

“I want to express my boundless gratitude to the team of surgeons who performed the robotic kidney operation on my son. When it comes to your child’s health, fear and anxiety simply overwhelm you. But from the first minute of communication with the doctors we felt that we were in reliable hands. Thanks to the use of a modern surgical robot, the incredible skill of surgeons Dmytro Shevchuk and Oleksandr Kalinchuk, and the entire medical team, the operation was successful, and the recovery period turned out to be much easier and faster than we expected. Thank you for your golden heart, high professionalism, compassion and for giving my son a chance at a healthy future! You are doctors from God!!” — the boy’s mother thanked the doctors.

At the same time, Lviv specialists are already independently continuing to perform robotic procedures. Currently, using Senhance the hospital conducts about two operations per week, and medical staff plan to increase that number further.

The St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital has also opened free consultations for parents whose children may need robotic surgical treatment. The medical facility emphasizes that robotic surgery makes it possible to perform a number of operations with less tissue trauma and faster recovery.