In a groundbreaking leap for global medicine, Chinese surgeons have performed the world’s first remote robotic liver surgeries using satellite communications successfully operating across a distance of over 5,000 kilometers.
The historic procedures were led by Professor Rong Liu of the PLA General Hospital and took place with the surgical team stationed in Lhasa, while two patients were treated simultaneously in Beijing.
Satellite-Powered Surgery from 36,000km Above Earth
The feat was enabled by the Apstar-6D satellite, positioned in geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above Earth.
The surgeries mark the furthest robotic operations ever conducted using satellite-based communications, pushing the boundaries of medical technology.
Unlike conventional remote surgeries that rely on 5G networks, which are limited by distance and infrastructure, satellite systems offer global coverage.
However, they are often hampered by high latency typically over 600 milliseconds, far beyond the 200-millisecond limit considered safe for real-time surgical control.
Overcoming the Latency Barrier
To break this barrier, Liu’s team introduced advanced systems, including:
- Predictive neural networks
- Delayed-error synchronization
- Automatic link redundancy
- Prioritized data transmission
These innovations allowed for precision control of robotic arms, despite operating with a latency of 632 milliseconds, and ensured stable connections throughout the procedures.
Life-Saving Surgeries Completed Successfully
Two patients were operated on:
- A 68-year-old man with liver cancer
- A 56-year-old woman with hepatic hemangioma
Both operations were completed in under 124 minutes, with minimal blood loss and no major complications.
Remarkably, both patients were discharged within 24 hours, matching the recovery outcomes of conventional surgeries.
A New Era for Global Surgery
This medical breakthrough follows previous remote surgery milestones, including a 2024 prostate surgery performed from Rome to Beijing.
With this latest achievement, China has now extended the effective range of robotic surgery from 5,000 km to over 150,000 km.
The development paves the way for surgical care in disaster zones, conflict areas, and remote regions where medical expertise is scarce.
China plans to integrate the satellite-assisted surgical system into routine clinical practice, ushering in a new chapter in global healthcare accessibility.