In a historic medical milestone, Professor Prokar Dasgupta, one of London’s foremost robotic urological surgeons, achieved history by conducting the UK’s first long-distance robotic operation. That patient, however, turned up an astonishing 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) away in Gibraltar. The first procedure was performed on February 1, 2024, on 62-year-old Paul Buxton, who is fighting prostate cancer.
Professor Manusiga Dasgupta deftly piloted the cutting-edge Toumai Robotic System from a console in the UK. The purpose of the procedure in Gibraltar at the same time as the robot’s visit. Communications were reliable across the state as fibre-optic cables quickly connected the two locations. To keep everything running smoothly, a secure backup 5G link was deployed as well. Combined with digital pathology, this allowed for real-time surgical intervention without the need for patient travel.
“It was like I was really there,” said Professor Dasgupta soon after performing an actual prostate removal surgery. The operation was a historic test, with Paul Buxton becoming the first person ever to receive such remote treatment.
Buxton’s adventure took the most unexpected turn shortly after Christmas, when his doctor gave him the startling news that he had prostate cancer. He endured the harsh reality of hours of travel and time spent waiting for care. This put him in a better position to conduct the experimental, advanced surgical technique. Had I not selected telesurgery in Gibraltar, I would have needed to fly to London. That would have involved taking the procedure on the NHS waiting list, having the procedure carried out, and probably spending three weeks in the metropolitan area. So I thought: ‘This is a no-brainer,’” Buxton stated.
The upcoming procedure doesn’t just showcase what’s next in the field of telesurgery, it showcases the humanitarian impact it could have. In closing, Professor Dasgupta underscored why these innovations are crucial. He shouted, “I believe this is incredibly, incredibly exciting. The humanitarian impact is going to be huge!”
A team of technical staff was based in Gibraltar throughout the operation, ready to quickly respond if any connectivity problems occurred. Thankfully, the link held strong during the entire process, making it a fruitful test run of this groundbreaking surgical ART.
Going forward, Professor Dasgupta is currently scheduled to conduct a second remote surgery on March 14. Like last year, this upcoming operation will be live-streamed. It will be seen by up to 20,000 urological surgeons at the European Association of Urology professionals congress.
Professor Dasgupta has been involved in many high profile telesurgery projects. Among the most revolutionary, a 4,000-mile transatlantic robotic stroke procedure on a cadaver. The future promise Robotics Surgery’s latest innovations are expanding horizons for patient care. These same innovations are improving the overall accessibility of treatment for everyone as well.