A Robotic Surgery Pioneer Who Shaped the Future: Clinical Prof. Dr. Anusak Yiengpruksawan’s Legacy at Bumrungrad His first robotic patient was 92 years old. From that successful gallbladder operation, Dr. Anusak went on to perform increasingly complex procedures involving the pancreas, stomach, spleen, adrenal glands, and other organs, helping expand the boundaries of robotic surgery. In 2017, Bumrungrad International Hospital was honored to welcome him as Director of the Bumrungrad Robotic Surgery Center. He brought with him not only exceptional experience, but also a generous vision. He believed robotic surgery should continue to grow across specialties, that surgeons should be properly trained, and that patients deserved clear, evidence-based guidance about whether this approach was right for them. For Dr. Anusak , technology was never the heart of surgery. The surgeon’s knowledge, judgment, experience, and compassion always came first.
Some careers leave behind achievements. Others leave behind a direction for the future. Clinical Prof. Dr. Anusak Yiengpruksawan belonged to the latter . An internationally respected surgical oncologist and pioneer in robotic surgery, he dedicated his life to advancing cancer care, minimally invasive surgery, and the possibilities of surgical technology. In the United States, Dr. Anusak served at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, as Director of the Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery Center and Director of the Surgical Oncology Service. His distinguished career also included advanced training in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. His journey with robotic surgery began around 2000. Although initially skeptical, his perspective changed the moment he sat at the surgeon console. The three-dimensional view, precision, and natural range of movement immediately revealed what the technology could make possible.
Clinical Prof. Dr. Anusak passed away in 2023, but his influence continues.
Bumrungrad is proud and grateful that such a remarkable surgeon became part of its story. His legacy lives on in the expertise, innovation, and patient-centered spirit that continue to guide the Bumrungrad Robotic Surgery Center today.
Interview with Clinical Prof. Dr. Anusak Yiengpruksawan
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