A patient in an operating theater in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, underwent surgery performed by a surgeon located more than 4,000 km away at a facility on Jiefang Boulevard in Wuhan, China. Robotic surgeon Dr. Syed Mohammed Ghouse at the Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology in Hyderabad carried out the procedure on May 18 while physically present at Tongji Hospital in Wuhan. The patient, diagnosed with lower ureteric stricture, received a robotic ureteric reimplant. Local staff prepared the patient, after which Dr. Ghouse controlled the system in real time over a high-speed connection.
Robotic surgery functions as telesurgery with three main parts: a patient cart, an image cart for visuals, and the surgeon console. The surgeon does not stand directly over the patient even in standard setups, and this case simply extended that distance. A trained assistant remained with the patient in Hyderabad, maintaining continuous two-way communication throughout.
The operation used the MedBot platform from Chinese firm MicroPort, a system already available at AINU centers in India. Stable internet at 30 to 50 Mbps was essential for transmitting visuals and commands. Multiple leased lines provided redundancy, with automatic switchover if one failed. A local surgical assistant could intervene immediately if communication were lost entirely.
The patient recovered promptly and was discharged the same day. Dr. Ghouse later returned to Hyderabad.
