French doctor uses Chinese robot to perform remote cancer surgery for patient in Morocco

French surgeon Youness Ahallal prepares to perform a prostate cancer surgery for a patient in Morocco using a Chinese-made remote surgery robot in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 16, 2024. (MicroPort MedBot/Handout via Xinhua)

SHANGHAI, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Using a Chinese-made robot, a French surgeon has made a significant medical advancement by performing a remote prostate cancer surgery for a patient in Morocco, who was 12,000 kilometers away.

This stunning procedure was made possible by Toumai Robot, which allowed for real-time, high-definition imaging and precise control of the machine from a great distance.

This intercontinental operation, with a two-way transmission distance exceeding 30,000 kilometers, set a new record as the longest remote human surgery. It came after an October renal cyst minimally invasive surgery completed with the aid of Toumai Robot between Shanghai and the port of Cotonou in Benin with a round-trip transmission distance of 27,000 kilometers.

On Nov. 16, French doctor Youness Ahallal took less than two hours to complete the surgery, with a one-way latency of just over 100 milliseconds.

The robotic arm in Morocco reproduced every command from the surgeon's console in Shanghai, removing the prostate tumor and completing the suturing process while preserving the vascular-nerve bundle and maximum length of the urethra.

The real-time video feed, facilitated this time only by a standard broadband connection instead of 5G technology, was rather clear and smooth, and the surgical robot displayed unmatched flexibility, precision and stability, which are crucial for performing complex, high-difficulty operations, said Ahallal.

Remote surgery can increase global access to top-tier surgeons for patients, eliminating the need for international travel. Additionally, it allows senior surgeons to remotely mentor junior colleagues in performing high-difficulty surgeries.

He Chao, president of MicroPort MedBot that develops the robot, believes the remote technology will bring "disruptive changes to future medical services."

"Our goal is to make remote surgery a routine practice," he added.

In recent years, surgical robots have become the new frontier for Chinese tech startups. A recent industry research report indicated that the market size of China's surgical robot sector is projected to reach 38.4 billion U.S. dollars by 2026, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate that significantly outpaces the global average.

The extensive deployment of 5G networks within China is anticipated to swiftly broaden the market potential for remote surgery, making it a more viable and accessible option for healthcare services.

He told Xinhua that Toumai Robot has been used in over 250 5G ultra-long-distance surgeries with a 100 percent success rate, covering an accumulated transmission distance of over 400,000 kilometers.

The number of 5G base stations in China exceeded 4 million at the end of August, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The Toumai Robot, which received EU CE certification in May, is now approved for use in various surgical procedures, including urology, general surgery, thoracic surgery and gynecological endoscopy.