Following its successful handling of the pandemic thanks to a robust digital infrastructure to support smart tools, the Middle East seems to be moving ahead quickly to explore medtech further. Past few months have marked the rise of telemedicine and entry of new-age gadgets into the region's healthcare ecosystem.

Emirati doctors have performed surgeries via robots, and introduced sophisticated implants as small as coins, for the heart and the mind. At a time when wearable devices are providing real-time updates on pulse and oxygen levels, surgeons in Saudi Arabia have conducted a first of its kind procedure to boost blood-flow with a mechanical pump.

The medical professionals installed a ventricular assistance gadget, to empower a 60-year-old's weakened heart, so that blood can reach vital organs. The medtech device carries blood from a lower chamber of the heart, to all parts of the body for better functioning.

Backed by a power source, the machine works based on a combination of tubes which carries blood to the pump and from there to other organs. It also includes a control centre which tracks the flow of blood through the gadget, and sends out warnings about low-power or glitches that may hinder the process.

This is the first time such a device has been used for helping a patient in the gulf, and it follows another recent development where a tiny pacemaker was implanted to regulate heartrate in the UAE. Changing demands during the social distancing age have also led regional innovators to create a system for monitoring blood vessels during an ongoing dialysis.

Apart from smart bands that enable people to know their heart health, medtech has also encouraged experimentation with technology that determines well being from subtle vibrations created by the heart and vital organs, on the skin.

Monitoring patients after treatment is one of the key advantages of healthtech, since systems in the region have also started using AI to predict and prevent risks in a timely manner.