Domestic Surgical Robot + 5G Achieves World's First Simultaneous Remote Surgery in Five Locations

Background

Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, conducted a series of remote robotic surgeries on April 22, 2025. The procedures utilized a domestically developed surgical robot and 5G network connectivity. This took place in the hospital's Science and Technology Building lecture hall on the second floor, where two master consoles were activated.

What was achieved

On the same day, Ruijin Hospital experts remotely operated Toumai surgical robots to perform multiple complex procedures on patients at five locations: Sanming First Hospital in Fujian, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital in Yunnan, a hospital in Ruijin, Jiangxi, a facility in Boao, Hainan, and the Jiading branch in Shanghai. The surgeries encompassed pancreatic, hepatobiliary, urological and gastrointestinal procedures. Specific cases included a rectal tumor resection in the high-altitude Diqing area (approximately 2,950 km from Shanghai at 3,300 meters elevation), operations for suspected liver cancer with gallstones and left kidney clear cell carcinoma in Fujian, a cholecystectomy in Jiangxi, a pancreatic body and tail resection for pseudocyst in Hainan, and a radical gastrectomy for gastric antrum malignancy with pyloric obstruction in Shanghai Jiading.

All reported procedures were completed successfully. Surgeons involved included Peng Chenghong, a lifelong professor and chief physician of general surgery; Xu Danfeng, director of urology; Chen Yongjun, director of hepatobiliary surgery; and Zhao Ren, vice president and chief physician of general surgery. The event marked the formal establishment of Ruijin Hospital's Remote Surgery Intelligence Center, known as Rui Surgery. Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and hospital president Ning Guang described it as a milestone that moves the operating room beyond its traditional confines, achieving near-zero latency to bridge distances.

Sources reported this as the world's first instance of simultaneous remote robotic surgery across five locations on the same day. Distances between the surgical team in Shanghai and patients ranged from as close as 22 kilometers to more than 2,000 kilometers.

How it works

In this telesurgery approach, surgeons sit at master control consoles equipped with high-definition stereoscopic displays and hand controls in Shanghai. Their movements are translated into digital commands and transmitted in real time over a 5G network to slave robotic systems positioned at the remote hospitals. Each remote site has a Toumai robot with multiple articulated arms holding laparoscopic surgical instruments that replicate the surgeon's actions inside the patient's body through small incisions.

The system provides the operating surgeon with continuous high-resolution video feeds from cameras inserted into the surgical field, along with other data, allowing precise manipulation for procedures such as tumor removal, organ resection or cholecystectomy. The Toumai platform, a domestically produced laparoscopic surgical robot, filters hand tremor and scales movements for enhanced dexterity. The 5G infrastructure ensures low-latency communication, described across reports as near zero perceptible delay, which is essential for safety during delicate maneuvers. Two master consoles coordinated with five remote robots during the coordinated sessions.

What it means for international patients

Ruijin Hospital operates an international medical department that provides English-language services and support for patients from abroad. The department facilitates coordination, interpretation where needed, and has arrangements for direct billing with multiple international insurance providers. This technological milestone in robotic telesurgery and minimally invasive techniques illustrates the hospital's capabilities in advanced surgical care that may be of interest to medical tourists seeking specialized treatment.

International patients considering care involving robotic-assisted surgery or treatment by the hospital's specialists in areas such as general surgery should contact the hospital directly to verify eligibility, availability and suitability for their specific medical condition. Individual assessments are required, and patients must confirm all details, including any use of remote or robotic systems, with the international services team.

About the hospital

Ruijin Hospital is a Grade III-A tertiary comprehensive teaching hospital located in Shanghai's Huangpu District at 197 Ruijin Er Road. Founded in 1907 originally as Guangci Hospital, it is affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. The hospital integrates clinical care, education and research across more than 40 clinical departments and maintains national key disciplines and clinical specialty projects, notably in endocrinology and metabolic diseases, hematology, general surgery, burns care and oncology.

It is known for contributions including the Shanghai solution for acute promyelocytic leukemia treatment and the Ruijin fluid formula in burn care. The hospital includes an international medical services section with dedicated contact options including the email vip@rjh.com.cn. It features facilities supporting international patients and has been involved in high-tech innovations such as robotic surgery platforms.