In a remarkable demonstration of the capabilities of 5G and fiber optic technology, a surgeon in Rome successfully performed remote surgery on a patient in Beijing, China. Dr. Zhang Xu, the head of Urology at the People’s Liberation Army General Hospital in China, was able to operate from Rome using a surgical console that provided real-time visualization of the patient.
The surgery was broadcast live at a medical conference in Rome focused on laparoscopy, robotics, and AI. The low latency of just 135 milliseconds ensured seamless communication and coordination between the surgical teams in two different countries. During the surgery, a medical team and another surgeon were on-site in China to provide immediate assistance if needed.
Dr. Zhang Xu expressed the importance of minimal delays in remote surgery, highlighting the near-instantaneous communication achieved during this operation. The success of this telesurgery has paved the way for continued use of this technology by Dr. Zhang’s team, particularly in treating military personnel. This groundbreaking approach to surgery has the potential to revolutionize how operations are performed in the future, offering new possibilities for remote medical interventions.
