A British patient with prostate cancer has become the first in the UK to undergo remote robotic surgery, with a surgeon in London directing a robot 1,500 miles away in Gibraltar. Paul Buxton, 62, a football fan from Somerset who moved to Gibraltar 40 years ago, had his prostate removed by Prof Prokar Dasgupta, a urologist at The London Clinic, using the Toumai Robotic System made by Microport.
The operation took place at St Bernard’s Hospital in Gibraltar, the only hospital in the British overseas territory. Prof Dasgupta controlled the four-armed robot fitted with a 3D camera from a console in London’s Harley Street district. The connection was established via fibre optics with a backup 5G link, and a local surgical team was on standby in case of disruption. The time lag between London and Gibraltar was just 0.06 seconds.
Mr Buxton said the decision to undergo the pioneering procedure was a “no-brainer”. He had expected to join the NHS waiting list and travel to England for surgery, but instead opted for telesurgery in Gibraltar, which meant he could avoid a three-week stay in London. “It’s been a privilege to be part of medical history,” he said, adding that he felt “fantastic” within days.
Prof Dasgupta described the surgery as a “milestone” that went extremely well. He highlighted the humanitarian benefits, noting that remote surgery can save patients in remote areas the “vast expense and inconvenience” of travelling for treatment. “I think it is very, very exciting,” he said.
The success of the operation has paved the way for further remote procedures. Prof Dasgupta is scheduled to repeat the surgery on 14 March, this time with 20,000 surgeons watching via livestream from the European Association of Urology congress.
