An Indian-origin surgeon in Florida has removed a cancer patient’s prostate while sitting 35 miles (56km) away, in what hospital officials say is the first reported robotic telesurgery performed between two hospitals in the United States.
(Also read: Who is Nisha Verma? Patel, founder and medical director of AdventHealth’s Global Robotics Institute, controlled robotic surgical instruments from the Celebration hospital. The system allowed him to perform a prostatectomy, a procedure to remove the prostate gland. The operation used the investigational Toumai robotic system developed by MicroPort MedBot. “This study allows us to evaluate whether telesurgery could one day help reduce geographic barriers to specialized treatment. It was carried out under an investigational device exemption authorised by the US Food and Drug Administration. That permission allows researchers to study the technology but does not mean the system has received FDA approval or clearance for clinical use. Researchers are assessing its safety, effectiveness, network reliability and cybersecurity. Beyond the usual risks of prostate surgery, remote operations could face connection failures or equipment problems, making a trained team at the patient’s bedside essential.
The hospital said Patel has previously performed more than 21,000 robotic prostatectomies.
Indian-origin doctor goes viral for her response to if ‘men can get pregnant’ ) According to The Guardian , the operation was conducted as part of a clinical study examining whether surgeons can safely perform complex procedures without being physically present beside patients.
