In a groundbreaking moment for modern medicine, a Chinese surgical team has completed the world’s first intercontinental robotic prostatectomy—without the lead surgeon ever stepping foot in the operating theatre.
Photo via Reddit
Dr Zhang Xu, head of urology at the PLA General Hospital in Beijing, conducted the entire procedure from Rome, Italy, seated over 8,000 kilometres away. Through a highly advanced setup involving robotic surgical arms and ultra-low latency 5G and fibre-optic networks, he controlled every delicate movement with astonishing precision.
While the patient remained in Beijing, Dr Zhang’s virtual hands operated from Europe, proving that physical borders no longer have to limit medical expertise. A support team stood by in case of complications, but not once did they need to intervene.
This isn’t just a technical feat—it’s a glimpse into the future of surgery. For remote and underserved communities, where access to specialist surgeons is scarce, this kind of remote procedure could revolutionise healthcare delivery.
Surgeon performs remote surgery on a patient in Beijing while being 8000km away in Rome.
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One of the biggest obstacles to remote surgery has always been lag—any delay in communication can be disastrous during delicate operations. But Dr Zhang’s team has overcome this with cutting-edge robotics and high-speed connectivity, reducing delay to mere milliseconds.
“We’re breaking down the barriers of geography,” said Dr Zhang. “This means top-tier surgical care from cities like Beijing and Shanghai could soon be available in real time to patients even in the most isolated areas.”
With this success, the world moves a step closer to a future where expert surgical care isn’t defined by distance, but by connection—no matter how far.
