Riyadh hosted 11 consecutive remote robotic surgeries enabled by a digital infrastructure designed for high reliability and ultra-low latency. The operations ensured the continuity and precision of sensitive surgical procedures.
According to SPA, the project was a collaboration between Zain Saudi and the Innovation Empowerment Center of the Virtual Health Hospital. The first operational phase involved four consecutive robotic surgeries in one day between the Virtual Health Hospital and King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh.
The surgeries conducted during the same week covered various specialties, including gastric sleeve, hysterectomy, inguinal hernia repair, gallbladder removal, and appendiceal tumor removal, as well as advanced gynecological tumor surgeries. One procedure involved the removal of the right lower lobe of the lung, marking the second remote lung lobe removal surgery globally and the fifth remote robotic lung resection worldwide.
The technical solution relied on a dedicated digital network featuring a primary connection and an independent backup connection at each location. Bandwidth was separated from other data traffic, with services monitored in real-time throughout the operations to transmit surgeon commands, live video, audio, and operational data.
What specific surgeries were performed using the remote robotic system? The remote robotic surgeries covered several medical specialties. These included the removal of the gallbladder, hysterectomy, gastric sleeve, and inguinal hernia repair. Additionally, the system was used for removing appendiceal tumors and performing advanced gynecological tumor surgeries, as well as a right lower lobe lung removal.
How did the digital infrastructure support these medical procedures? The infrastructure provided by Zain Saudi and the Innovation Empowerment Center allowed for real-time connection between the surgeon’s control unit and the robotic system. It used a dedicated network with ultra-low latency and high reliability to transmit live video, audio, operational data, and surgeon commands.
What were the technical specifications of the network used for the surgeries? The solution utilized a dedicated digital network that included both a primary connection and an independent backup connection at every location. To ensure stability, the bandwidth was separated from other data traffic, and services were monitored in real-time and end-to-end throughout the operations.
What global milestones were achieved during these operations? The project included the removal of the right lower lobe of the lung. This specific procedure is recognized as the second remote surgery of its kind in the world for lung lobe removal and the fifth remote robotic surgery globally for removing parts of the lung.