Remote-controlled robots successfully perform surgery in China

Using 5G to remotely control surgical robots from 4,000 km away, doctors completed a delicate operation in Tibet at 4,500 metres above sea level, Euronews writes.

At over 4,500 metres above sea level, in Nagqu City located in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, doctors have pulled off a remarkable world first: a successful 5G remote robotic urological surgery at extreme altitude.

The operation connected two hospitals thousands of kilometres apart. On one end, Professor Liu Zhiyu’s team at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University in Liaoning Province; on the other Dr. Wang Yanlong, director of urology at Nagqu People’s Hospital and a member of Liaoning’s medical aid team stationed in Xizang.

To successfully perform the surgery, the two hospitals partnered with network providers, running countless tests and simulations to ensure the robots and 5G systems could operate flawlessly in extreme conditions.

The medical team also spent weeks studying the patient’s case, creating a personalised surgical plan and rehearsing the procedure to perfection.

“From a medical perspective, this represents a major breakthrough in 5G remote robotic surgery,” Wang said. “It proves that even in extremely harsh plateau environments, advanced technology can enable the remote sharing of high-quality medical resources, providing a successful model for addressing healthcare disparities in remote high-altitude regions globally.”