A groundbreaking robotic surgery has been performed in Greece for the first time with the surgeon operating remotely from China, marking a major step forward for telemedicine and modern surgical technology.
The procedure involved a radical prostatectomy for a patient in Athens who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The surgeon, a professor of medicine and director of the Urology Clinic at the University Hospital of Patras, carried out the operation from Wuhan, China, using robotic systems and advanced telemedicine technology.
Speaking to Greek public broadcaster ERT, the doctor described the experience as a unique technological development, saying it was remarkable to be thousands of kilometres away while performing surgery “as if I were standing next to the patient.”
Surgery from 8,000 kilometres away
The operation was carried out with the support of a specialized medical team in Athens, which was ready to intervene in case of an emergency during the procedure.
The doctor explained that there was no noticeable delay during the operation, thanks to dedicated network connections linking China to Athens through Frankfurt. He noted that while robotic surgery technology already existed, modern communication networks now allow these systems to be used remotely.
According to him, the next application of the same technology was already planned, with the patient in Athens and the surgeon operating from Patras, showing how quickly remote surgery is expanding.
“Something we once saw only in movies”
The doctor said that remote robotic surgery was once considered something seen only in science fiction, but it is now becoming a reality.
He explained that the purpose of such technology is not only to allow surgeons to operate from a distance, but also to train doctors without requiring them to travel.
“Until now, telemedicine was mainly diagnostic. Now it is becoming therapeutic,” he said, adding that similar procedures are expected to become much more common in the future.
The patient, according to the doctor, had been fully informed about the procedure and was enthusiastic about taking part in a medical first.
Technology without borders
The Greek doctor emphasized that successful remote surgery still depends on medical expertise, noting that Greece has highly skilled healthcare professionals and that technological advances are increasingly accessible worldwide.
