Remote Surgery

Surgical care is undergoing a technological revolution. Among the most transformative developments is remote surgery, also called telesurgery. It empowers surgeons to operate on patients located miles or even continents away using robotic systems controlled in real time via secure high-speed networks. This innovation breaks geographic barriers, offering specialized care to patients in underserved or remote regions.

At the heart of this innovation lies Robendy’s 9-degrees-of-freedom (9-DOF) surgical robot, designed to mimic the complexity and flexibility of the human wrist. This robot allows surgeons to execute highly complex procedures with precision, speed, and minimal invasiveness. The system’s ability to rotate and shift surgical instruments in any direction and at varying angles offers surgeons a critical edge in delicate procedures, even when performed remotely.

As global healthcare systems embrace smart surgical solutions, robots like Robendy’s are helping redefine what’s possible in modern medicine especially for hard-to-reach patient populations. The need for precision, remote access, and robotic support is no longer the future; it’s already here.

What is Remote Surgery?

Remote surgery is a medical procedure performed by a surgeon at a distance from the patient, using robotic systems controlled via the internet or a closed network. This is made possible by integrating telecommunication systems, motion control technology, and haptic feedback into robotic surgical platforms.

The first successful remote surgery, the “Lindbergh Operation,” took place in 2001, when a surgeon in New York removed the gallbladder of a patient in France. Since then, advances in 5G, real-time imaging, and robotics have accelerated the reliability and accuracy of remote procedures.

One key benefit of remote surgery is access. Patients in rural or medically underserved areas can receive expert treatment from world-renowned surgeons without leaving their region. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the importance of telemedicine and remote interventions, leading to wider investment in this field.

Robendy’s 9-DOF robot is designed with remote surgery in mind. Its intelligent motion capabilities and rotational freedom enable effective manipulation of instruments in confined or difficult-to-access spaces. The system’s hardware is also adaptable to telesurgical platforms, making it a viable option for health institutions preparing for the next phase of digital healthcare.

Robotic Remote Surgery

Robotic remote surgery blends robotics and telecommunications, allowing a physical robot at the patient’s location to be controlled by a surgeon remotely. Unlike conventional surgery, the robot doesn’t just replicate hand movements it enhances them. Movements are scaled down to micrometric precision, tremors are filtered out, and complex angles are effortlessly achieved.

Several studies confirm that robotic surgery improves outcomes over traditional laparoscopy, particularly in areas requiring delicate dissection and stitching. For example, in cardiovascular and neurosurgery, robots enable access to spaces that are impossible to reach with manual instruments.

Robendy’s surgical robot offers critical enhancements for remote applications. Its 9 degrees of freedom allow for full-range motion, giving it the capability to rotate, pivot, and shift in ways that mimic (and exceed) human hand function. This allows surgeons to navigate the patient’s anatomy more freely and accurately.

Unlike many systems that focus solely on local use, Robendy’s system is ready for remote integration; it can be paired with surgical control software and telesurgery platforms, enabling fully remote, B2B-enabled deployment in hospitals around the world.

Robotic Surgery Assistant

The role of a robotic surgery assistant has become essential in modern operating rooms. These assistants are not robots themselves but trained professionals who manage the surgical robotic systems, help with configuration, calibration, and troubleshooting, and support the lead surgeon during robotic procedures.

Their job includes prepping robotic arms, verifying instrument function, ensuring system readiness, and adjusting equipment during surgery. In telesurgery, this role is even more critical: the assistant must act as the “eyes and hands” on-site while the surgeon controls the system remotely.

Robendy has taken a human-centered design approach, ensuring that its robotic system is intuitive, easy to set up, and efficient to maintain. Its modular design minimizes system errors and downtime, while its interface supports easy learning curves for surgical assistants.

More importantly, Robendy offers remote monitoring tools and safety lockout features, empowering robotic assistants to control system status and intervene if necessary. This setup not only enhances safety but also boosts the productivity of surgical teams, making advanced procedures more scalable and repeatable.

As hospitals look to adopt advanced surgical technologies, having trained robotic assistants will become standard and Robendy’s platform is already optimized for this emerging operational model.

Remote Access Thyroid Surgery

One of the most remarkable applications of robotic remote surgery is remote access thyroid surgery. This procedure allows surgeons to remove the thyroid gland through hidden incisions usually made in the armpit or mouth avoiding a visible scar on the neck.

A popular approach, the Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA), uses small incisions inside the lower lip. Combined with robotics, this approach offers cosmetic, psychological, and clinical benefits. Research published in the Journal of Robotic Surgery highlights that robotic TOETVA procedures result in lower complication rates, faster recovery, and high patient satisfaction.

Robendy’s 9-DOF robot is especially suited for such applications. Its ability to work with small, controlled movements in constrained spaces makes it ideal for transoral and endoscopic approaches. Unlike many traditional robotic systems, Robendy offers tool flexibility and size variability crucial for adapting to different patient anatomies and surgical access points.

By pairing advanced motion control with minimally invasive techniques, Robendy enables hospitals to perform highly specialized procedures like robotic thyroidectomies without sacrificing safety or surgical efficiency.

Conclusion

Remote surgery is not a future concept it’s a present-day solution with the power to revolutionize healthcare accessibility and outcomes. Through the integration of robotics, precision control, and real-time connectivity, patients anywhere in the world can receive life-saving surgeries from elite surgeons.

Robendy’s robotic system brings together everything needed for this next generation of surgery: full-range motion, telesurgical compatibility, ease of integration, and clinical-grade precision. Whether it’s for oral, thyroid, or plastic procedures, Robendy stands out as a versatile, reliable choice for institutions aiming to future-proof their surgical capabilities.

As robotic systems become more compact, more intelligent, and more accessible, the robotic revolution in remote surgery will only grow and companies like Robendy are at the forefront of that movement.