Jihad Kaouk, MD

Appointed
2002

Education & Fellowships

Fellowship - Cleveland Clinic
Urology/Advanced Urological Laparoscopy
Cleveland, OH United States
2002

Fellowship - Cleveland Clinic
Urology/Advanced Urological Laparoscopy
Cleveland, OH United States
2000

Residency - American University of Beirut Medical Center
Urology
Beirut,
1999

Residency - American University of Beirut Medical Center
Surgery
Beirut,
1996

Internship - American University of Beirut Medical Center
Surgery
Beirut,
1994

Medical Education - American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine
Medicine
New York, NY
1993

Undergraduate - American University of Beirut
Science
Beirut, Lebanon
1989

Additional Training

• Robotic Surgery Training certificate
• Human Participants Protection Education for Research Teams

Professional Highlights

• Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer. Method Surgical AI - May 2021 – present
• Chair, Scientific Advisory Board. Method Surgical AI - May 2021 – present
• Vice Chair, Enterprise Surgical Operations. Cleveland Clinic - 2018 – present
• Founder and Director, Biomedical Engineering lab (ASPIRE lab)- Automation of Surgical Procedures through Intelligent Robotic Enhancement. Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic - 2018 – present
• Cleveland Clinic Medical Devices Advisory Board (MDAC), member. - 2017 – present
• Biomedical Engineering Staff. Cleveland Clinic - 2017 – present
• Surgical Operations, Chair of Enterprise Robotic Committee. Cleveland Clinic - September 2015- present
• Professor of Surgery. Cleveland Clinic, Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western University,  Cleveland, Ohio - 2010-Present
• Institute Vice Chair for Surgical Innovations. Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic - 2010-Present
• Zegarac-Pollock Endowed Chair in Minimally Invasive Surgery. Cleveland Clinic, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute. - 2010-Present
• Director, Center for Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery. Cleveland Clinic, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute - 2008-Present
• Associate Professor of Surgery. Cleveland Clinic, Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio - 2007–2010
• Co-Director, Robotic Urologic Surgery. Cleveland Clinic, Glickman Urological Institute, Section of Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cleveland, Ohio - 2004-2008
• Staff, Center for Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery. Staff, Center for Kidney Transplantation. Cleveland Clinic, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland, Ohio USA - 2002-Present

Certifications

• Urology

Specialty Interests

Laparoscopic and robotic surgery for kidney cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, adrenal cancer, kidney donation, single port laparoscopic surgery, focal ablation for kidney tumors including cryoablation, retroperitoneal fibrosis

Awards & Honors

• Distinguished Contribution Award for Dr. Jihad Kaouk’s dedication to innovation and teaching robotics and minimally invasive surgery, AUA, December 2023.
• Third Place Poster Abstract: SP Transvesical Partial Prostatectomy: New Form of Focal Therapy. Fifth International Prostate Cancer Symposium and World Congress of Urologic Oncology 2023, Mount Sinai, NYC, December 2023.
• Top Ten Submissions: Low Anterior Access for Retroperitoneal Single-Port Robotic Partial Nephrectomy, KS Awards 2023, Belgium, October 2023.
• Third Prize Poster: Complications of Single-Port Robotic Radical Prostatectomy: A Multi-Institutional Report from the Single-Port Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC), ERUS 2023, Florence, Italy, September 2023
• Best Doctors, Recognized for Excellence, Cleveland Clinic Magazine, August 2023
• Best of Robotics Theater: Epidural Anesthesia Without Mechanical Ventilation in Single-Port Transvesical Radical and Simple Prostatectomy, AUA 2023, Chicago, April 2023
• Best Video Abstract: Single-Port Kidney Auto-Transplantation (SP-KAT) with Boari Flap Ureteral Reimplant: Description of our Novel Approach, AUA 2023, Chicago, April 2023
• Best Podium Presentation (by Ethan Ferguson): Epidural Anesthesia without Mechanical Ventilation in Single-Port Transvesical Radical and Simple Prostatectomy, OUS 2023, Colombus, March 2023
• International Innovations Award 2022, Vattikuti Foundation, November 2022<
• First Prize, Vattikuti Foundation KS International Robotic Surgery Video Awards: Single-port Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation Extraperitoneal Approach, September 2022
• AUA2022 award-winning poster on Single-port Transvesical vs Multiport Robotic Simple Prostatectomy: A multi-institutional Matched-pair Comparison. Invited to contribute an article to AUA News, May 2022
• Best Surgical Movie Award: Single-Port Transvesical Robotic Radical Prostatectomy: Description of technique, AUA 2022, New Orleans, May 2022
• Best Poster Abstract: Single Port Transvesical Partial Prostatectomy: Feasibility and Initial Outcomes, Engineering and Urology Society (EUS), New Orleans, May 2022
• Cleveland Magazine 2022 BEST DOCTORS
• Best Paper Award: Single Port Robotic Transvesical Partial Prostatectomy: Feasibility and Initial Outcomes, Engineering & Urology Society-AUA, New Orleans, 2022
• Top-Rated Expert in Robotic Surgical Procedures in the world, 2022 (Expertscape)
• Nomination for the The George W. Crile Founders- Professional Staff Award- Research, Cleveland Clinic, March 2022
• Sones Innovation Award Nominee, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
• Cleveland Magazine 2020 Top Physician
• Societe Internationale d’Urologie Olympus 2019 Best Video Award Runner up: Single Port Transvesical Simple Prostatectomy, Athens Greece, 2019
• Best Surgical Movie Award: Robotic Single-Port Retroperitoneal Partial Nephrectomy, AUA 2018
• Best Endourology Fellowship Program Director Award, WCE, September 2017
• Cleveland Clinic Innovator Award: Physical Organ Model with Embedded Spatial Registration Sensors, May 2017
• Best Videos – Audio-Visual Award, AUA New Orleans, May 2015: Robotic Perineal Prostatectomy: Initial Clinical Experience
• Urology Teacher of the Year 2012-2013: Urology Department Nominated Award for Best Teacher of the Year
• Cleveland Clinic Innovator Award 2013: Patient Specific 3D printing of Organ for Training and Preparation
• First Prize-Best Video Award: Second Generation Instruments for Robotic Single Site Kidney
• EAU, Paris 2012: Surgery: Early Experience in a Cadaver Model
• Cleveland Clinic Innovator Award 2011: Renal Hilum Clamp to Mitigate Ischemia during Partial Nephrectomy
• Third Prize: AUA, Orlando, May 2008: Innovation Combination of New Technologies in Reconstructive Laparoscopic Surgery: An Evaluation in Animal Model
• Best Paper Award: Engineering and Urology Society, Orlando, 2008: Innovation Combination of New Technologies in Reconstructive Urology
• Second prize: World Congress of Endourology, 2007: Preliminary Experience With the Niris Optical Coherence Tomography System During Laparoscopic and Robotic Prostatectomy
• Outstanding Paper Award, Engineering & Urology Society Annual Meeting, Anaheim, 2007: Percutaneous Cryoablation of Kidney Lesions Under Combined Real-time Ultrasound and 3D CT Scan Navigation
• Outstanding Paper Award, Engineering & Urology Society Annual Meeting, Anaheim, 2007: KTP Laser Robotic Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy: Development and Initial Clinical Experience
• Outstanding Paper Award, Engineering & Urology Society Annual Meeting Anaheim, CA, May 2007: Flexible Robotic Retrograde Renoscopy: Description of a Novel Robotic Device and Preliminary Laboratory Experience.
• Cleveland Clinic Innovator Award 2006 – Honorable Mention – Audio-Visual Award, AUA Atlanta, May 2006: Real-time Virtual Sonography Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Renal Tumor
• Who’s Who in America Marquis 59th Edition, 2005-Present
• “America’s Top Physicians in Urology”: Consumers’ Research Council of America, 2005-2006
• Recognition Award: American College of Surgeons, Lebanon Chapter, XIth Clinical Congress, September 8, 2005
• First Prize – Best Video Award, AUA San Antonio, May 2005: Implications of Real-time Transrectal Monitoring during Nerve-Sparing Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy
• Honorable Mention - Audio-Visual Award, AUA, San Antonio, May 2005: Laparoscopic Nerve-Sparing Radical Cystectomy with Orthotopic Ileal Neobladder
• Honorable Mention - Audio-Visual Award, AUA, San Francisco, May 2004: Real-Time Transrectal Ultrasound Guidance during Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy
• Clinical Traveling Fellowship Award, North Central Section AUA Vancouver, September 2003: Thoracic Complications during Laparoscopic Urologic Surgery
• Olympus Prize - Best Clinical Paper, 21st World Congress of Endourology Montreal, Canada, September 2003: Heparin versus No Heparin During Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy
• Third Prize - Best Video, AUA Chicago, IL, May 2003: Laparoscopic Advanced Partial Nephrectomy”. 
• Third Prize - Best Paper, 20th World Congress of Endourology Genoa, Italy, September 2002: Use of Tissue-Expanded Ureter for Laparoscopic Augmentation Cystoplasty
• Second Prize - Best Paper, 20th World Congress of Endourology, Genoa, Italy, September 2002: Laparoscopic Tumor Thrombectomy for Level IV Caval and Atrial Thrombus with Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest
• Second Prize - Best Video, AUA Orlando, Florida, May 2002: Extraperitoneal Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: Cleveland Clinic Technique
• First Prize - Essay Contest, 19th World Congress of Endourology Bangkok, Thailand, November 2001: Endopyeloplasty: A Novel Technique
• Yamanouchi Award - Best Paper, AUA, Anaheim, California, June 2001: Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy and Urinary Diversion: Intracorporeal Technique
• First Prize - Best Video, 19th World Congress of Endourology, Bangkok, Thailand, November 2001: Remote, Robotic Laparoscopic Extravesical Ureteral Reimplantation with Ureteral Advancement Technique
• First Prize - Best Video, 19th World Congress of Endourology Bangkok, Thailand, November 2001: Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy with Urinary Diversion- Completely Intracorporeal Technique in the Male and Female
• First Prize - Best Video, 19th World Congress of Endourology Bangkok, Thailand, November 2001: Extraperitoneal Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: Video
• First Prize - Best Video, 19th World Congress on Endourology Bangkok, Thailand, November 2001: Laparoscopic Anatrophic Nephrolithotomy in a Porcine Animal Model
• First Prize - Best Video, 19th World Congress on Endourology and Shockwave Bangkok, Thailand, November 2001: Laparoscopic Nephron-Sparing Surgery
• Honorable Mention - Best Video, AUA Anaheim, California, June 2001: Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy with Urinary Diversion-Completely Intracorporeal Technique in the Male and Female
• Second Prize - Best Video, AUA Anaheim, California, June 2001: The Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy 
• Second Prize - Essay Contest, 18th World Congress on Endourology Sao Paulo, Brazil, September 2000: Laparoscopic Kidney Autotransplantation
• First Prize – Essay Contest, 18th World Congress on Endourology Sao Paulo, Brazil, September 2000: Laparoscopic Orthotopic Ileal Neobladder
• Lebanese Red Cross Award, May 1996: Voluntary Activities in the Medical Field
• Dean's Honor List: American University of Beirut, 1989-1990

Innovations & Patents

• U.S. Provisional Patent, April 21. 2021: Automated Robotic Surgery Continuous Improvement, Removal of Non-Purposeful Surgical Movements, and Optimizing Functional Outcomes. Serial No. 63/141,087
• U.S. Provisional Patent, April 21. 2021: 3D Tracking and Real Time Pose Correction for Robots Interacting with Deformable Objects and Controlling and Optimizing Redundant Axis of 7 Degrees-Of-Freedom Robotic Manipulator. Serial No. 63/177,593
• U.S. Provisional Patent, April 21. 2021: Automated Robotic Surgery Control and Simulation, and Task Coordination for Multi-Robot Automated Surgery. Serial No. 63/177,596
• U.S. Provisional Patent, April 21, 2021: Autonomous Robotic Surgery. Serial No. 63/177,597
• U.S. Patent August 28, 2012: Apparatus and method of performing radiofrequency cauterization and tissue removal.
• U.S Provisional Patent, 2013: Patient-Specific 3D printing of Organ for Training and Preparation

Memberships

• Society of Urologic Robotic Surgeons, Member and Former President, 2018-Present
• Royal College of Surgeons Glasgow, Fellow, 2018- Present
• Society of Urologic Oncology, Member, 2014-Present
• American College of Surgeons, Fellow, 2014- Present
• American Board of Urology, Diplomat, 2013- Present
• Society of Robotic Surgery, Charter Member, 2008-Present
• American Urological Association, Member, 2002-Present
• Endourological Society, Member, 2000-Present
• Lebanese Order of Physicians, Member, 1993- Present

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As of 3/25/2025, Dr. Kaouk has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.

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