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Artificial Intelligence for Surgical Care in War-Torn Sudan: Feasibility, Barriers, and Ethical Perspectives

NCT ID: NCT07149012

Last Updated: 2025-08-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

185 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-10-01

Study Completion Date

2025-06-01

Brief Summary

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This study is designed to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) could be applied to support surgical care in Sudan during the ongoing armed conflict. The conflict has disrupted hospital operations, displaced surgical teams, and limited access to specialists and modern technology. The investigators are conducting a survey of Sudanese surgeons working in public, private, military, and conflict-zone hospitals to assess awareness of AI, interest in its application, and perceived challenges. In addition, in-depth interviews with senior surgeons and residents are being performed to further explore perspectives on AI in surgical care.

This study represents one of the first attempts to investigate the role of AI in surgery within an active conflict setting in Africa. Findings from this research are expected to inform the design of AI tools that are tailored for fragile health systems, including offline and low-bandwidth environments.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Surgical Procedures, Operative Artificial Intelligence (AI) War Injury Wounds and Injuries Disasters Health Services Accessibility Developing Countries

Keywords

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Artificial Intelligence Surgeon Training Technology Adoption in Surgery Humanitarian Health

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

OTHER

Study Time Perspective

OTHER

Interventions

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Artificial Intelligence Awareness and Feasibility Assessment

A sequential explanatory mixed-methods assessment of surgeons' awareness, readiness, and perceived barriers to adopting artificial intelligence in surgical care during the ongoing Sudan conflict. The intervention consisted of:

A validated, structured online questionnaire adapted from established AI awareness tools, assessing familiarity, perceived benefits, barriers, and ethical concerns.

Semi-structured interviews with senior surgical residents and consultants to explore contextual and ethical perspectives in greater depth.

The study did not implement AI tools in practice but focused on measuring feasibility and identifying requirements for future AI deployment in conflict-affected surgical systems.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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AI Readiness Survey AI in Surgical Care Study Sudan AI Training and Barriers Assessment

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Sudanese general surgery residents or consultants.
* Currently working in public, private, military, NGO, or conflict-zone hospitals within Sudan.
* Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

* Surgeons working outside Sudan.
* Non-surgical medical specialties.
* Inability or unwillingness to complete the survey or participate in interviews.
Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Sudan Medical Specialization Board

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Alsadig Suliman

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Alsadig Suliman, MBBS, Msc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sudan Medical Specialization Board

Locations

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Sudan Medical Specialization Board

Wad Medani, Al Jazīrah, Sudan

Site Status

Countries

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Sudan

References

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Alsaedi AR, Alneami N, Almajnoni F, Alamri O, Aljohni K, Alrwaily MK, Eid M, Budayr A, Alrehaili MA, Alghamdi MM, Almutairi ED, Eid MH. Perceived Worries in the Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Among Healthcare Professionals in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study. Nurs Rep. 2024 Nov 28;14(4):3706-3721. doi: 10.3390/nursrep14040271.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39728632 (View on PubMed)

Fleming CA, Ali O, Clements JM, Hirniak J, King M, Mohan HM, Nally DM, Burke J; Association of Surgeons in Training (ASIT). Surgical trainee experience and opinion of robotic surgery in surgical training and vision for the future: a snapshot study of pan-specialty surgical trainees. J Robot Surg. 2022 Oct;16(5):1073-1082. doi: 10.1007/s11701-021-01344-y. Epub 2021 Nov 26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34826106 (View on PubMed)

De Simone B, Abu-Zidan FM, Gumbs AA, Chouillard E, Di Saverio S, Sartelli M, Coccolini F, Ansaloni L, Collins T, Kluger Y, Moore EE, Litvin A, Leppaniemi A, Mascagni P, Milone L, Piccoli M, Abu-Hilal M, Sugrue M, Biffl WL, Catena F. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of artificial intelligence in emergency and trauma surgery, the ARIES project: an international web-based survey. World J Emerg Surg. 2022 Feb 10;17(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s13017-022-00413-3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35144645 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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SMSB-AI-SURG-SUDAN-2025

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id