A momentous historic medical milestone occurred on February 11. Paul Buxton, a 62-year-old farmer from Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset, became the first patient in the UK to have telesurgery performed on him remotely. It was Buxton’s original hometown in Gibraltar, site of her groundbreaking procedure 40 years ago, where she had moved decades earlier. The procedure that forced him out was the complete removal of his prostate after a shocking December cancer diagnosis just after Christmas.
Upon diagnosis, Buxton would have been put on an NHS waiting list for treatment. But almost as fast, he took advantage of an opportunity to join a cutting-edge pilot trial for telesurgery. Since then, Buxton has said he is thrilled to be a part of “medical history,” and that for him, the decision was an obvious one, knowing his circumstances.
“If I hadn’t gone for the telesurgery in Gibraltar, then I would have had to have flown to London, I would have had to go on the NHS waiting list, get the procedure done, and I would have probably been in London for three weeks. So I thought: ‘This is a no-brainer’.” – Paul Buxton
The surgery itself, led by Professor Prokar Dasgupta with the advanced Toumai Robotic System. This pioneering system allowed the surgeon to carry out complex operations from a console based in the UK. In parallel, the surgeon remained linked to robotic instruments in Gibraltar via fiber-optic cables and a redundant 5G connection. This arrangement didn’t just allow for surgery to be conducted remotely—it heralded the promise of technology more broadly to change the nature of medical procedures.
In the immediate aftermath of the operation, Buxton described his experience as “fantastic” and affirmed that he was “very well looked after” during the entire process. As the owner of a case transport company, he appreciated being able to receive care near his home. He was grateful that he didn’t have to go to London for treatment.
Professor Dasgupta emphasized the importance of this breakthrough in medical technology, announcing its potential humanitarian advantages.
“I think it is very, very exciting, the humanitarian benefit is going to be significant.” – Professor Prokar Dasgupta
Tina’s experience is a powerful reminder of how the healthcare field is changing and how technology is helping lead the way to better patient outcomes. As telesurgery becomes more widely accepted, it may pave the way for similar procedures in other regions, offering patients alternatives to traditional surgical methods.
