Jilu Zheng1, Yonghua Wang1, Jian Zhang2, Weidong Guo3, Xuecheng Yang1, Lei Luo1, Wei Jiao1, Xiao Hu3, Zongyi Yu4, Chen Wang5, Ling Zhu6, Ziyi Yang1, Mingxin Zhang1, Fei Xie1, Yuefeng Jia1, Bin Li1, Zhiqiang Li7, Qian Dong8, Haitao Niu9. 1. Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266000, China. 2. Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, China. 3. Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, China. 4. Department of Information Management, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, China. 5. The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, China. 6. Qingdao Hisense Medical Equipment Corporation, Ltd, No. 399, Songling Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao, 266000, China. 7. The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes), Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China. 8. Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, China. 9. Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266000, China. niuht0532@126.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: 5G communication technology has been applied to several fields in telemedicine, but its effectiveness, safety, and stability in remote laparoscopic telesurgery have not been established. Here, we conducted four ultra-remote laparoscopic surgeries on a swine model under the 5G network. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness, safety, and stability of the 5G network in remote laparoscopic telesurgery. METHODS: Four ultra-remote laparoscopic surgeries (network communication distance of nearly 3000 km), including left nephrectomy, partial hepatectomy, cholecystectomy, and cystectomy, were performed on a swine model with a 5G wireless network connection using a domestically produced "MicroHand" surgical robot. The average network delay, operative time, blood loss, and intraoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: Four laparoscopic telesurgeries were safely performed through a 5G network, with an average network delay of 264 ms (including a mean round-trip transporting delay of 114 ms and a 1.20% data packet loss ratio). The total operation time was 2 h. The total blood loss was 25 ml, and no complications occurred during the procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Ultra-remote laparoscopic surgery can be performed safely and smoothly with 5G wireless network connection using domestically produced equipment. More importantly, our model can provide insights for promoting the future development of telesurgery, especially in areas where Internet cables are difficult to lay or cannot be laid.
BACKGROUND: 5G communication technology has been applied to several fields in telemedicine, but its effectiveness, safety, and stability in remote laparoscopic telesurgery have not been established. Here, we conducted four ultra-remote laparoscopic surgeries on a swine model under the 5G network. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness, safety, and stability of the 5G network in remote laparoscopic telesurgery. METHODS: Four ultra-remote laparoscopic surgeries (network communication distance of nearly 3000 km), including left nephrectomy, partial hepatectomy, cholecystectomy, and cystectomy, were performed on a swine model with a 5G wireless network connection using a domestically produced "MicroHand" surgical robot. The average network delay, operative time, blood loss, and intraoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: Four laparoscopic telesurgeries were safely performed through a 5G network, with an average network delay of 264 ms (including a mean round-trip transporting delay of 114 ms and a 1.20% data packet loss ratio). The total operation time was 2 h. The total blood loss was 25 ml, and no complications occurred during the procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Ultra-remote laparoscopic surgery can be performed safely and smoothly with 5G wireless network connection using domestically produced equipment. More importantly, our model can provide insights for promoting the future development of telesurgery, especially in areas where Internet cables are difficult to lay or cannot be laid.
Authors: Yoonho Kim; Emily Genevriere; Pablo Harker; Jaehun Choe; Marcin Balicki; Robert W Regenhardt; Justin E Vranic; Adam A Dmytriw; Aman B Patel; Xuanhe Zhao Journal: Sci Robot Date: 2022-04-13