Researchers suggest robotic telesurgery may be as reliable as standard robotic surgery for two common urological procedures.
This is according to a randomised controlled trial from China published in the The BMJ.
The study involved 72 patients undergoing prostatectomy or partial nephrectomy at five hospitals, with surgeries performed via telesurgery or standard methods.
Surgeons with extensive robotic experience carried out the procedures, and the results showed no significant difference in success rates or perioperative outcomes between the two groups. The telesurgery system proved stable – even at distances of up to 2,800km.
While clinical adoption remains limited and further evaluation of long-term outcomes and broader impacts is necessary, the trial offers preliminary evidence that telesurgery can be a viable alternative to conventional methods.
Results indicated that telesurgery was not inferior to local surgery, with a difference in success probability of 0.02.
Other outcomes related to operative process, complications, recovery, cancer outcomes and workload did not differ significantly.
Findings provide an evidence base for larger-scale trials, the researchers said.
‘As the first randomised controlled trial in the field of telesurgery, this study establishes that its reliability is non-inferior to that of conventional local surgery. This finding provides a foundational evidence base for the design and implementation of larger-scale clinical trials in the future.’
As telesurgery re-emerges, patient engagement and standardisation are vital, UK researchers noted in a linked editorial.
Policies for informed consent, safety, and emergency protocols are in place, but public willingness for fully autonomous surgery remains cautious, with many saying ‘not yet’.
They concluded: ‘Initiatives such as the Responsible AI UK ecosystem will ensure that public trust remains the highest priority as surgery becomes more digital and telesurgery’s role expands across health systems, nations, and even space.’
