MedBot (robot surgeon)

2024: First telesurgical operations to remove prostate tumors

At the end of October 2024, the MedBot surgical robot performed the first telesurgical operations to remove prostate tumors in Africa. MicroPort reported six cases of laparoscopic prostatectomy successfully performed using a surgical robot in Angola.

The operations were performed by Dr. Vipul Patel, a urologist at AdventHealth's Institute for Global Robotics in Florida, who has experience conducting more than 18,000 robotic prostatectomies. Together with other specialists, he came to Angola as part of a humanitarian mission. The testing procedures were carried out at the Cardeal National Medical Center in Angola, Dr. Patel was in a different room at this time.

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MicroPort

According to MicroPort, these are the first telesurgical procedures performed in sub-Saharan Africa. Robotic telesurgery allows a surgeon to perform operations at a distance using a robotic system connected through telecommunications networks. In the case of MicroPort, the main robotic console and remote console were placed at different locations on the Cardeal Hospital site, with the connection supported solely by the Toumai console and Cardeal's internal telecommunications network. The delay time between the systems was less than 6 milliseconds, which provided flawless surgical accuracy.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the death rate due to prostate cancer is particularly high due to limited access to health services. Toumai's telesurgical system can change the current situation by providing access to specialized care. The technology allows experienced surgeons to perform complex procedures remotely, providing critical care to patients in remote areas. With high-speed data transmission and real-time connectivity, systems like these can reduce inequality and improve treatment outcomes worldwide. It is known that the Toumai system has already been used for more than 200 telesurgical operations around the world.^[1]

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