Implementation of Robotic Telesurgery in Brazil: The First Experimental Remote Surgery Performed Between Two...

Area of Science:

• Medical Robotics
• Surgical Technology
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Telesurgery enables remote surgical procedures using robotic systems.
• Brazil's first telesurgery occurred in 2000, but not between two distinct cities with advanced robotics.
• This study addresses the gap by performing telesurgery between two Brazilian cities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first telesurgery conducted between two distinct Brazilian cities.
• To evaluate the feasibility and safety of using a state-of-the-art robotic system for remote surgery.
• To test high-performance fiber optic technology with 5G redundancy for telesurgery.

Main Methods:

• A prospective experimental study using a swine model (40 kg Sus scrofa).
• Connectivity established via high-speed fiber optic cable with 5G redundancy.
• Robotic cholecystectomy performed remotely with continuous monitoring of latency and connection quality.

Main Results:

• Telesurgery was successfully completed without any complications.
• Transmission delays were within acceptable limits for robotic surgery.
• Image quality and robotic command responsiveness remained stable throughout the procedure.

Conclusions:

• This marks a historic milestone, proving telesurgery between Brazilian cities is technically feasible and safe.
• The findings open avenues for improved access to specialized surgical care in remote Brazilian regions.
• This advancement could revolutionize medical expertise distribution in Brazil and Latin America.