A remote robotic surgery between China and Italy has been hailed as a huge success.
The live procedure linked the capital cities of Beijing and Rome, which are more than 8,000km apart.
The Chinese team conducted the world’s first transcontinental live telesurgery in Rome using a homegrown system to treat a prostate cancer patient in Beijing, marking the longest-distance remote robotic surgery on humans to date.
The pioneering procedure was conducted at a leading medical conference focused on laparoscopy, robotics and AI.
Zhang Xu, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and director of the urology department at the Third Medical Centre of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, led the procedure.
It showcased the potential of advanced medical technology in overcoming geographical barriers.
During the procedure, Zhang Xu operated the remote surgical robot from Rome. In Beijing, a surgical robot removed a prostate cancer lesion from a patient.
A robust 5G network facilitated the success of this surgery, ensuring real-time communication without significant delay, often a critical concern in remote surgeries.
According to a report from state broadcaster CCTV’s military channel (via South China Morning Post), head surgeon Zhang Xu said the biggest problem with remote surgery is signal latency since success is contingent on seamless machine communication.
He explained: ‘The biggest challenge in remote surgery is ensuring no communication delay. Today’s surgery felt almost like an on-site operation, marking a historic moment in medical technology.’
Zhang Xu also discussed the importance of this technology for military field medical services because it allows the projection of advanced medical resources to the frontline in real time.
Robotic surgery can bridge healthcare gaps globally. Telesurgery and remote surgery are becoming increasingly feasible, enabling patients in remote and underserved areas to access specialised surgical expertise.1
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