A career that began with an ambition to become a fighter pilot eventually led Dr. Waleed Lutfi Bukhari to the forefront of advanced surgery in Saudi Arabia. Today, he is a Senior Consultant in advanced laparoscopic, bariatric, and metabolic surgery at King's College Hospital London in Jeddah.

With more than three decades of medical experience, his contributions extend beyond treating patients. He has helped introduce advanced surgical techniques, train generations of surgeons, contribute to medical guidelines, and represent Saudi Arabia in international surgical organizations.

Rooted in Knowledge, Sharpened by Experience

Dr. Waleed Bukhari did not initially plan to become a doctor. His early ambition was to become a fighter pilot. However, a visit to the medical school at King Faisal University changed his direction. Encouraged by the university's dean, he chose to pursue a career in medicine.

He graduated from King Faisal University in 1984 with a degree in medicine and surgery. His interest in specialist surgical training subsequently took him to Germany, where he completed a surgical fellowship at the University of Göttingen in 1990. He later obtained an additional qualification in laparoscopic surgery from the same university in 1992. His education continued in the United States, where he earned a diploma in organ transplantation from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994.

These international experiences took place during an important period in the development of minimally invasive surgery. Instead of making large incisions, laparoscopic surgeons could use small instruments and a camera to perform increasingly complex procedures. The approach offered patients the potential for less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery. Dr. Bukhari returned to Saudi Arabia with specialist knowledge that would help expand the country's surgical capabilities.

Clinical Expertise in Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery

Dr. Waleed Bukhari specializes in advanced laparoscopic surgery, bariatric surgery, and metabolic surgery. His work focuses on performing complex procedures through minimally invasive techniques and treating patients with obesity and related metabolic conditions.

Bariatric surgery involves procedures that change the digestive system to support substantial weight loss. Metabolic surgery can also improve conditions such as type 2 diabetes in appropriately selected patients. His clinical expertise covers several connected areas:

  • Advanced laparoscopic procedures using specialized cameras and instruments.
  • Bariatric operations for patients with severe obesity.
  • Metabolic surgical procedures for obesity-related health conditions.
  • Complex abdominal and general surgical care.
  • Evaluation of patients requiring revisional bariatric surgery.
  • Application of specialist techniques to improve surgical recovery.

His career reflects the broader development of bariatric surgery from a treatment focused primarily on weight reduction into an established medical field that also addresses obesity-related disease.

A Notable Milestone in Jeddah

One of Dr. Waleed Bukhari's notable clinical achievements was reported on July 13, 2005, when Al Riyadh documented a complex obesity operation performed by a team under his leadership. The patient was a 35-year-old man weighing approximately 320 kilograms. The operation took place at the Prince Sultan Center for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at King Fahd General Hospital in Jeddah.

The team performed a biliopancreatic diversion procedure, a specialized form of bariatric surgery that changes the stomach and intestinal pathways to reduce food intake and alter nutrient absorption. The newspaper described the operation as a first of its kind in the region. Beyond that reported distinction, the case demonstrated the advanced surgical capabilities being developed within Saudi Arabia's public healthcare institutions.

For Dr. Bukhari, such procedures represented more than individual clinical milestones. They were part of a wider effort to establish advanced laparoscopic surgery as a specialist field supported by trained medical teams, modern equipment, and appropriate clinical standards. He is also credited with helping introduce and spread advanced laparoscopic techniques in Saudi Arabia, as well as contributing to the organization of the country's first international laparoscopic surgery course.

A Career Built on Growth and Academic Leadership

Dr. Waleed Bukhari's contribution to Saudi Arabia's healthcare system goes beyond the number of operations he has performed. A significant part of his career has focused on developing surgical knowledge and creating opportunities for other surgeons to learn advanced techniques. He has contributed to more than 158 surgical training courses. His work as a national and international instructor has supported the transfer of specialist surgical knowledge between Saudi Arabia and the wider medical community.

He previously headed the Prince Sultan Center for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and held a leadership role at the International Medical Center in Jeddah. His professional affiliations have also included the Saudi Surgical Association, of which he is a founding member, and the Saudi Arabian Society of Endoscopic Surgery, where he served as deputy chairman in 2011.

His professional record additionally lists involvement with the Saudi Ministry of Health's Supervisory Committee for Laparoscopic Surgery and a scientific committee associated with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. These responsibilities placed him in positions where he could contribute to surgical education, professional collaboration, and the wider development of specialist services.

Helping Shape National Surgical Standards

Another important part of Dr. Waleed Bukhari's professional contribution is his involvement in the development of national bariatric and metabolic surgery guidelines. He was listed as a member of the credentialing and review committee for Saudi Arabia's 2019 Guidelines for Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery, published through the Council of Health Insurance. The guidelines address several important aspects of surgical care, including patient selection, surgeon qualifications, hospital requirements, postoperative monitoring, and patient safety.

For patients, such standards help establish expectations for how specialist surgical treatment should be assessed and delivered. For healthcare professionals, they provide a framework for clinical practice and quality improvement. His participation in this work reflects an important aspect of medical leadership: using clinical experience to help improve healthcare practice beyond an individual hospital.

International Recognition and Regional Collaboration

Dr. Waleed Bukhari's professional contributions have also received recognition from international surgical organizations. In 2022, he received the Globalization Contribution Award from the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), according to a subsequently published hospital announcement. The award was associated with the federation's 25th World Congress in Miami, United States.

During the same year, he served as Congress President of the IFSO Middle East and North Africa Chapter meeting in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The conference brought together specialists to discuss developments in bariatric and metabolic surgery, surgical techniques, and professional education. His international participation continued in 2023, when he was identified as a Middle East and North Africa Chapter representative on the program committee for the 26th IFSO World Congress in Naples, Italy.

In June 2024, International Modern Hospital in Dubai announced his appointment as a visiting consultant in general surgery. The collaboration extended his specialist practice into another regional healthcare institution. Together, these appointments and recognitions illustrate how his career has connected Saudi surgical expertise with an international professional network.

Advancing Medical Research and Patient Care

Alongside his clinical and leadership responsibilities, Dr. Waleed Bukhari has contributed to international research examining bariatric surgical techniques, treatment outcomes, and patient care. In 2011, he co-authored research published in Obesity Facts on banded sleeve gastrectomy, a technique involving the placement of a ring around part of the stomach following weight-loss surgery.

A 2012 study in Surgical Endoscopy examined 100 consecutive revisional bariatric operations at a specialized German center. Revisional procedures are performed when a patient requires an additional operation after an earlier weight-loss surgery, sometimes because of complications or insufficient treatment results.

He also contributed to a 2014 multicenter study published in BMC Surgery, which followed 183 patients who underwent banded gastric bypass procedures. The research examined clinical outcomes over a four-year period. One particularly relevant contribution came in 2021, when he joined an international expert group studying religious fasting after metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Published in Obesity Surgery, the consensus research involved 61 surgeons from 24 countries and addressed important questions about Ramadan fasting following bariatric procedures. The participating specialists reached consensus on 40 of 45 statements concerning patient guidance.

This work has particular relevance in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries, where patients often seek medical advice about fasting after surgery. It demonstrates how international medical research can address practical questions shaped by patients' religious and cultural lives. Dr. Bukhari's academic contributions therefore extend from evaluating surgical procedures to supporting informed decisions during recovery and long-term care.

Looking Ahead

Dr. Waleed Lutfi Bukhari's career reflects the progress of advanced surgical care in Saudi Arabia over several decades. From his medical education at King Faisal University to specialist training abroad, complex operations in Jeddah, and international professional leadership, his work has followed the continuing development of minimally invasive surgery.

Today, as a Senior Consultant at King's College Hospital London in Jeddah, he brings this experience to the treatment of patients requiring advanced laparoscopic, bariatric, and metabolic procedures. His professional contributions also point to the importance of developing the next generation of medical specialists. Through surgical training, research, professional associations, and national guidelines, he has helped strengthen the knowledge and clinical practices that support modern surgical care.

His career demonstrates how the influence of an experienced surgeon can extend beyond individual procedures to the skills of colleagues, the standards of hospitals, and the healthcare available to future patients.

For appointments or more information about Dr. Waleed Lutfi Bukhari, visit his official profile at King's College Hospital London, Jeddah.