Using a Chinese-made robot, a French surgeon achieved a significant breakthrough in medicine by performing a remote prostate cancer removal operation on a patient in Morocco, located 12,000 kilometers away.
This groundbreaking procedure was enabled by the Toumai Robot, which provided high-definition real-time imaging and precise control over the machine across vast distances.
This intercontinental surgery set a new record as the longest remote human operation, with a total data transmission distance exceeding 30,000 kilometers. This follows an October procedure using the Toumai Robot for minimally invasive kidney cyst removal between Shanghai and Cotonou Port in Benin, covering a two-way data transmission distance of 27,000 kilometers.
On November 16, French doctor Younes Ahallal completed the surgery in less than two hours, with one-way latency slightly exceeding 100 milliseconds.
The robotic arm in Morocco precisely replicated each command from the surgeon’s console in Shanghai, successfully removing the prostate tumor and completing sutures while preserving the neurovascular bundle and maximizing urethral length.
According to Ahallal, real-time video, supported by standard broadband instead of 5G technology, was clear and smooth. The surgical robot demonstrated exceptional flexibility, precision, and stability, which are critical for complex, skill-intensive surgeries.
Remote surgery has the potential to improve global access to top-tier surgeons, eliminating the need for international travel. It also allows senior surgeons to remotely train younger colleagues in performing high-complexity operations.
He Chao, president of MicroPort MedBot, which developed the robot, believes remote technology will bring “revolutionary changes to future medical services.”
“Our goal is to make remote surgery a routine practice,” he added.
In recent years, surgical robots have become a new frontier for Chinese tech startups. A recent industry research report indicated that China’s surgical robot market size is expected to reach $38.4 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate significantly outpacing the global average.
