Kazakh Surgeons Use MAKO Robotic System in Tashkent for the First Time

Kazakh surgeons have performed groundbreaking joint replacement procedures in Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent using the MAKO robotic system, an advanced technology in orthopedic surgery. The operations were a centerpiece of the event 'Days of Kazakh Medicine in Uzbekistan'. A surgical team led by traumatologist-orthopedist Timur Baidalin, head of the endoprosthetics department at the Batpenov National Scientific Center for Orthopedics and Traumatology, successfully conducted two joint replacements, one knee and one hip, using the MAKO robotic assistant. The system enables surgeons to plan and execute procedures with exceptional precision and reduced risk of complications. Developed by the U.S. based company Stryker, the MAKO system functions as an intelligent surgical assistant using 3D modeling technology. It creates a virtual replica of the patient’s joint, allowing the surgical team to pre-calculate the optimal implant angle, depth, and trajectory. During the procedure, the surgeon guides the MAKO manipulator, which operates with micromillimeter accuracy. This significantly lowers the risk of tissue damage and extends the lifespan of the implanted prosthesis. “The main advantage of MAKO is the ability to combine the surgeon’s experience with machine precision. This sets a new standard in endoprosthetics,” said Baidalin. For Uzbek specialists, the event served as a hands-on masterclass. In addition to observing the procedures, local doctors operated the system under the supervision of the Kazakh team. “We’ve been anticipating this technology for a long time. Today, we not only saw it in action but experienced the difference. This is a milestone for Uzbek orthopedics, and we’re grateful to our Kazakh colleagues for the opportunity to gain this experience,” said Odil Valiev, head of the adult orthopedics department at Uzbekistan’s Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics. This collaboration follows another recent highlight: in spring 2025, Kazakh specialists from UMC, led by cardiac surgeon Yuri Pii, presented the ALEM device at EXPO 2025 in Osaka. The technology enables the long-term preservation of donor organs and represents another significant advance in regional medical innovation.

Young Uzbek Engineers Set Guinness World Record with 1,946 Robots

Uzbekistan has entered the Guinness World Records after 1,946 young engineers simultaneously assembled mini-robots at a public event in Tashkent. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation announced the achievement via its official Telegram channel. The record-setting event took place in Yangi O‘zbekiston Park, where each participant built a robot in unison, surpassing the previous record set in India in 2023, when 1,459 students completed a similar task. Describing the achievement as a “historic milestone,” the ministry said: “Our youth achieved it, Uzbekistan has broken a Guinness World Record! This success once again inscribes our country’s name in the Guinness Book of Records. It demonstrates the scientific-technical potential, creativity, and teamwork of Uzbek youth, opening the door to new achievements in technology and innovation.” The event served as both a technical showcase and a celebration of collaboration, innovation, and national pride. The accomplishment adds to a growing list of Guinness World Records from across Central Asia. In May, acrobats Batyr Zhanuzak and Marlen Maratov from the Almaty Circus earned a record in Milan for the “Fastest time climbing and descending two ladders with a person standing on their hands on the head.”