Robot Surgeons: Bringing Doctors to You, No Matter How Far.

Not Everyone Has a Hospital Nearby

Imagine you’re really sick and need surgery but the nearest hospital is hours away. For people living in the small villages or in poorer countries, this is a big problem. They don’t have many doctors nearby, and they might need to travel a long way just to get the help they need. Delays of just a few hours can sometimes make the difference between life and death, especially for critical surgeries.

But what if there were a way for a top doctor in a big city, or even in another country, to help without being there in person?

This isn’t just fantasy. Check out one of these incredible robotic surgeries below!

A surgeon in China successfully removed a lung tumor from a patient while being 5000 km away. The doctor operated the machine remotely from his office in Shanghai, while the patient was in Kashgar, located on the opposite side of the country. The entire operation was completed in… pic.twitter.com/8VQrpnvtS0

— Naresh Nambisan | നരേഷ് (@nareshbahrain) August 2, 2024

But first lets take a step back in time and see how we got to this point.

How Robotic Surgery Was Born

Robots doing surgery may sound like something from a futuristic movie, but it’s actually been around for a while!

• In the 1970s, the American army started researching robots that could help do surgery right on the battlefield. The idea was to save soldiers’ lives without waiting to send them to a hospital far away.
• At the same time, scientists were thinking about how we could care for astronauts in space. If someone got sick on a space mission, could a doctor on Earth operate on them using a robot?

#China unveils first Mars simulation base https://t.co/gveJQ4djIr pic.twitter.com/wcumjfk079

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) April 19, 2019

^{A simulated base on Mars}

That’s how the idea of robotic surgery from far away, or remote surgery, got started.

The First Robotic Tools

In the 1980s, the first real surgery robot was used. It was called PUMA 560, and it helped doctors take tiny samples from the brain without their hands shaking. 

After that, more robots were made to help with different kinds of surgeries, like hip replacements– Fixing a worn-out hip with a new one made of metal or plastic.  

At first, these robots were only used for one specific job. But by the 1990s:

• New robots were made that could do many different kinds of surgeries.
• Doctors could control them using screens, tools, and even voice commands.
• One robot, called the Da Vinci system, became famous when it peeled the skin off a grape without squishing it, that’s how gentle and precise it can be!

Remote Surgery Becomes Real

These surgical robots are incredible and precise but could they really be controlled by a surgeon who isn’t even in the room, or even in another country?

Yes! In 2002, doctors did exactly that! A woman in France had her gallbladder removed by doctors all the way in New York. The operation worked perfectly, and it showed that long-distance surgery was possible.

But there was still one big problem — the internet.

During surgery, every tiny movement a doctor makes has to reach the robot instantly. If the internet is too slow or cuts out, even for just a moment, the robot might not move the right way, or it could freeze at the wrong time. That kind of delay could be dangerous during a delicate operation.

It’s like trying to play a video game with really bad Wi-Fi, but a lot more serious.

Then Came 5G

5G is the newest and fastest type of internet network, it’s much quicker and more reliable than older versions. You might already use it on your phone or tablet without even noticing. 

What makes 5G special is:

• It can send and receive huge amounts of data almost instantly.
• It’s speed means every tiny movement a doctor makes — even just a small flick of the finger — can be copied by the robot right away and very accurately.
• No lag, no weird pauses, and no mix-ups.

It’s like the robot is right there in the room with them, even if the doctor is on the other side of the world.

New technology is helping doctors do things we never thought possible. Want to find out how smart computers (called AI) are helping doctors treat people from far away? Check out our fascinating blog post all about it

Watch doctors talking about how the robots make them feel like ‘Inspector Gadget’

Putting 5G surgeries to the test

With 5G, doctors can control surgery robots from miles, or even thousands of miles, away. In China, surgeons have already done 12 spinal surgeries using 5G, without ever being in the same room as the patient. Incredible, right?

  It’s the same as if I were sitting in the operating room. I have both my hands on the robot the same way I would have instruments in both hands. Basically, it’s the same as if I were next to the patient. It doesn’t feel different.”

Mehran Ansari, a telerobotic surgeon, talks to the BBC

To explore how doctors used this technology to operate on two patients with stomach cancer, check out this blog here! 

What’s Next?

In the future, remote surgery could mean:

• No more long trips just to see a doctor
• Faster treatment for people in rural or remote areas
• Doctors working together across countries to solve hard cases
• Less time in hospital and faster recovery

Image by cottonbro on Pexels

Of course there are still some challenges 

These amazing surgery robots aren’t cheap, they can cost over a million dollars just to set up! That means not every hospital, especially smaller ones in rural areas, can afford them right now. 

Plus, even though 5G is super fast, not every town or village has access to it yet. In some places, the internet can still be slow or a bit shaky, and when you’re doing surgery, even a small delay could be dangerous.

There’s also the question of who’s around to help. Even with a robot, you still need nurses, technicians, and other medical staff in the room to help during the operation. In very small or remote hospitals, there might not be enough trained people to support these high-tech surgeries yet.

If we don’t work out these problems there’s a danger the robots won’t be able to help the people who really need it the most.

But the good news? Scientists, engineers, and doctors all around the world are working together to solve these problems. They are finding new ways to make the robots cheaper, build better internet in more places, and train more people.  The future is full of possibilities!

With each passing year, the possibilities of robotic surgery grow more exciting, bringing life-saving medical care to the most remote corners of the world.

Science is awesome. So is asking questions.

Learn how to spot real discoveries from made-up ones with our easy 4-step checklist.
It’s fun, printable and free! Grab yours below.

NEVER MISS A DISCOVERY- Loved learning how robots and doctors team up to save lives? Make sure you opt in to our newsletter and keep exploring the amazing world of medicine and science!

Keep Exploring

Want to see high-tech medicine in action? Check out:

• Tiny Robots Navigating the Lungs
• Robotic Surgery For Stomach Cancer

Let’s Talk About It

Let us know what you think in the comment box below, would you trust a robot to help save your life? Why/why not?