UK Docs Perform First Remote-Control Heart Surgery

ByronScott writes "Doctors at a British hospital have just carried out the world's first surgery using a remote-controlled robot. The procedure fixed a patient's irregular heart rhythm, and although the doctor was in the same hospital as the patient — just through the wall in another room — developers of the RC surgery technology believe this is the first step toward long-distance operations. Imagine a doctor in London performing surgery on your heart in New York!"

World first, hey?

[scdeimos]

From: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/innovation/episode7_essay1.html [pbs.org]

Telesurgery made international news on September 7, 2001, when the first transatlantic surgical procedure took place between New York City and Strasbourg, France at a distance of nearly 4,000 miles. Dubbed "Operation Lindbergh" after Charles Lindbergh's first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic, the surgery was a landmark in experimental long distance telesurgery.

This was also reported in the BBC News, so the English really should know better: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1552211.stm [bbc.co.uk]

Stargate Universe Reference

[martijnd]

As usual science fiction is faster than reality -- although by just 2 weeks this time.

Heart surgery was performed in Stargate Universe "Divided" (S0112) on Dr Rush to remove an alien tracking device. The earth surgeon arrived by out-of-body experience while their ship was being bombarded by an alien fleet. ("Welcome to destinty. We are under attack by aliens, shields are holding, for now")

And yes, the connection was lost just before the device was removed leaving the clueless body double to do the actual removal.

Re:This will lead to robotics to do this

[locofungus]

This was reported on BBC R4 today program yesterday morning.

The reason for the remote operation is because they're using X-rays. Previously, surgeons have had to wear heavy lead aprons while doing this. When these operations take 6 hours+ that's a physical demand it would be preferable they didn't have to suffer.

Tim.

London to New York surgery too costly

[Anonymous Coward]

London to New York surgery? That's not cost effective enough ! I think New Delhi-New York offers much better value proposition. Would you like this week special? Kidney transplant only $29.99. And they could have surgery pods in Walmart with direct connection to "top" offshore surgeons !!

Since no other MDs appear to be commenting...

[demonlapin]

There are several things to note here::

• This is a heart catheterization, not an open procedure.
• The surgeon is present to perform the vascular access and leaves the room only to avoid the frankly huge amounts of radiation necessary to perform the procedure.
• It's not done over the Internet.
• You can't do this remotely because you still need a surgeon and anesthesiologist on site (remember, the surgeon has to get into the vessel in the first place, and if anything goes wrong, he's going to have to run upstairs to do emergency heart surgery). This thing isn't mobile in any common sense of the word.