TL;DR:
- A French surgeon made history by performing the world’s longest remote surgery using a Chinese Toumai Robot, operating on a patient in Morocco from Shanghai, spanning 12,000 kilometers.
- Dr. Youness Ahallal completed a prostate cancer surgery in under 2 hours with only 100 milliseconds communication delay, demonstrating remarkable precision despite the distance.
- The Toumai Robot system, which received EU CE certification, has already conducted over 250 long-distance surgeries with a 100% success rate, covering more than 400,000 kilometers cumulatively.
- China’s surgical robotics sector is advancing rapidly, with 4 million 5G base stations supporting remote surgeries, and the industry is projected to reach $38.4 billion by 2026.
A groundbreaking medical achievement has been recorded as a French surgeon successfully performed the world’s longest remote surgery, operating on a patient in Morocco while stationed in Shanghai, China. The unprecedented procedure, spanning a distance of 12,000 kilometers, marks a significant milestone in telemedicine and robotic surgery.
Dr. Youness Ahallal conducted the prostate cancer surgery on November 16, 2024, using the sophisticated Toumai Robot, a Chinese-developed surgical system. The procedure was completed in under two hours, with the surgeon successfully removing the prostate tumor and performing the necessary sutures.
The operation achieved remarkable technical precision despite the vast distance, with a communication delay of just over 100 milliseconds. This minimal latency enabled seamless coordination between the robotic arm in Morocco and the surgeon’s controls in Shanghai.
The Toumai Robot, which recently received EU CE certification in May 2024, demonstrated exceptional capabilities during the procedure. The system features advanced real-time, high-definition imaging and precise control mechanisms. “The clear and smooth real-time video feed, achieved using a standard broadband connection instead of the more advanced 5G technology, showed the system’s efficiency,” Dr. Ahallal stated after the successful operation.
This achievement builds upon China’s growing prominence in surgical robotics. The Toumai system has already facilitated more than 250 ultra-long-distance surgeries with a perfect success rate, covering a cumulative transmission distance exceeding 400,000 kilometers.
The technology’s potential impact on global healthcare is substantial, as it eliminates the need for patients to travel internationally for specialized surgical procedures. This development comes as China’s surgical robotics sector is projected to reach $38.4 billion by 2026, supported by the country’s extensive 5G network infrastructure of over 4 million base stations.
The successful surgery represents a significant advancement in medical technology, demonstrating how robotic-assisted remote procedures can effectively bridge geographical gaps between patients and specialized medical expertise.
Source: India Today
