Florida Doctor Removes Prostate from Patient 35 Miles Away Using Robot

Dr. Vipul Patel, founder and medical director of the Global Robotics Institute at AdventHealth Celebration, performed a remote robotic surgery on Sunday. The procedure targeted a 66-year-old man with prostate cancer. Patel operated from AdventHealth Celebration in Celebration, Florida, near Orlando. The patient was positioned in an operating room at AdventHealth Minneola, located 35 miles away.

Patel used a robotic telesurgery system to control instruments remotely. He successfully removed the patient's prostate from the distant location. A qualified surgeon was present in the operating room with the patient during the procedure, according to AdventHealth. The hospital reported that the patient is recovering well following the surgery.

This event marks the first time such a robotic surgery has been performed between two hospitals in the United States. The procedure is part of a clinical research study authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. The study aims to determine if this method of robotic surgery can be used more widely.

Prior to the Sunday operation, the research team completed nearly one dozen telesurgery procedures. Those earlier sessions took place between hospitals in Orlando and Luanda, Angola, which are more than 7,000 miles apart.

Patel stated that access to specialized care has often depended on a patient's location for generations. He noted that the study evaluates whether telesurgery could reduce geographic barriers to specialized treatment. The team continues to investigate questions regarding safety, effectiveness, and technical performance.

The hospital shared Patel's comments in a statement. The clinical study remains ongoing as researchers gather data on the remote surgical system.