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

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

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Wounds and Injuries; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Health Services Accessibility; War Injury; Developing Countries; Artificial Intelligence (AI); Disasters
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Artificial Intelligence Awareness and Feasibility Assessment

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 185

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Sudan
  • Al Jazīrah
    • Wad Medani, Al Jazīrah, Sudan, 14552
      • Sudan Medical Specialization Board

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

General surgery residents and consultants practicing in Sudan during the ongoing armed conflict, representing public, private, military, NGO, and conflict-zone hospitals across multiple regions. Participants include surgeons at various training levels, from early-year residents to senior consultants.

Description

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.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Awareness of Artificial Intelligence in Surgical Care Among Sudanese Surgeons	Measured using a structured questionnaire including domains of familiarity with AI concepts, perceived benefits, and potential applications in perioperative care. Responses are recorded on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all familiar/beneficial/applicable) to 5 (very familiar/beneficial/applicable). Higher scores indicate greater awareness and more positive perceptions.	At survey completion (October 2024 - June 2025)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Sudan Medical Specialization Board
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Alsadig Suliman, MBBS, Msc, Sudan Medical Specialization Board

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 15, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 22, 2025
• First Posted (Estimated): August 29, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): August 29, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 22, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Surgeon Training; Technology Adoption in Surgery; Humanitarian Health
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: SMSB-AI-SURG-SUDAN-2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared because the dataset contains sensitive information collected from healthcare professionals working in conflict-affected regions. Sharing could risk identification of participants despite anonymization, given the small and specialized population.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No