Expanding access to high-quality surgical care in Africa: a landmark achievement in telesurgery.

Abstract

Telesurgery, the use of robotic technology and telecommunications to perform surgical procedures remotely, has emerged as a groundbreaking advancement in modern medicine. Since the landmark Lindbergh operation in 2001, where a surgeon in New York successfully operated on a patient in France, telesurgery has demonstrated its potential to overcome geographical barriers and improve access to specialized surgical care. Technological advancements in robotic platforms, high-speed networks, and secure data transmission have addressed many of the initial challenges, enabling safer and more precise remote operations. This study explores the feasibility of telesurgery and its implementation in resource-limited settings. A pioneering effort in Africa involved the successful completion of two radical prostatectomies via telesurgery in Angola using the MicroPort^® MedBot^™ robotic platform. These procedures, conducted with robust telecommunications infrastructure and skilled surgical teams, highlight the humanitarian potential of telesurgery to address healthcare disparities in underserved regions. Beyond clinical applications, telesurgery offers new opportunities for remote surgical training and mentorship, building local capacity in advanced techniques. The telesurgeries in Angola represent a promising step forward in the journey toward universal healthcare access. By demonstrating the feasibility and reliability of remote robotic surgery in Africa, this landmark achievement provides a template for similar initiatives in other low-resource regions worldwide.