In a groundbreaking medical achievement, Paul Buxton, a 62-year-old cancer patient, became the first individual to undergo a long-distance robotic prostate removal surgery from Gibraltar. On February 11, the actual procedure was performed by Professor Prokar Dasgupta, the urologist. He is a Professor of robotic urological surgery based in the UK.
Photo by Angela Ruble Buxton has lived in Gibraltar for nearly 40 years. Originally from Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset, he was given the life-changing diagnosis of prostate cancer just before Christmas. As a result, he unexpectedly requires urgent medical care. Given Gibraltar’s limited healthcare options, only one hospital, St Bernard’s at Europort, often requires residents to travel abroad for complex procedures. Buxton was fortunate to take part in this innovative telesurgery trial.
The operation also used the Toumai Robotic System, in which Professor Dasgupta controlled the robot remotely through fibre-optic cables. Tethering a backup 5G link to the existing connection provided a low-latency, stable connection for the duration of the surgery. A small army in Gibraltar remained on standby to address any possible technical malfunction. Luckily, the bond remained secure during the whole operation.
“This is a no-brainer,” said Buxton, commenting on what sparked his interest in joining the trial. He highlighted the urgency of his predicament and benefits of this groundbreaking technology.
“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
After undergoing the procedure, Buxton took to social media to share his appreciation for the care he received and how he was recovering. “I was really well looked after and I am feeling fantastic,” he stated.
This is an encore presentation, one that professor Dasgupta will do again on March 14. He’s excited because he thinks this change will be transformative for the future of medical practices. He noted, “I think it is very, very exciting. The humanitarian benefit is going to be significant.” Even more exciting is that this upcoming operation will be live-streamed to an anticipated audience of 20,000 world-leading urological surgeons.
Paul Buxton’s successful surgery was a great victory for robotic surgery. It introduces expectation for better care to patients everywhere, especially in underserved and remote communities where doctors are hard to come by — powered by new, ground-breaking technologies. As medical practitioners advance the development of remote surgical solutions, the potential benefit for patients across the globe could be monumental.