Surgery without distance: will 5G-based robot-assisted telesurgery redefine modern surgery?

Abstract

The rapid advancement of the 5G technology is catalyzing a paradigm shift in the realm of remote surgery, offering the potential to overcome geographical constraints and to realize optimized allocation of global healthcare resources. We review the evolution of telesurgery, from early pioneering efforts to recent advancements made possible by 5G networks, which offer low latency and high data transfer speeds crucial for real-time surgical operations. Thus, 5G facilitates seamless transmission of control signals, images, and audio, allowing surgeons to perform complex procedures remotely with unprecedented precision. Notable achievements in telemedicine demonstrate the feasibility and safety of this cutting-edge approach. Despite these milestones, challenges such as network reliability, cybersecurity concerns, and the need for standardized global protocols remain critical barriers that impede the broad implementation worldwide. Moreover, ethical considerations surrounding patient autonomy, informed consent, liability assignment, regulatory approval, and data privacy framework in cross-border telesurgery require careful attention. The development of regional robotic surgery centers powered by 5G, alongside advancements in artificial intelligence, holds promise for bridging healthcare disparities and enhancing the precision of remote surgical procedures. As these technologies mature, they have great potential to redefine the landscape of surgery, ushering in an era of more accessible, collaborative, and efficient healthcare delivery worldwide.