World's First! Suzhou Doctors Complete Intercontinental Remote Surgery in Europe Using Domestic Robot

Background

The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou has built expertise in single-port robotic thoracic surgery. In 2023 the hospital established an international single-port robot training center and appointed Spanish thoracic surgeon Diego Gonzalez-Rivas as overseas director. The center has held more than ten international training classes that drew over 130 specialists from more than 20 countries including Germany and Egypt.

What was achieved

On the night of April 1 to early morning of April 2, 2025, the hospital’s thoracic surgery team led by Director Zhao Jun used a domestic single-port robotic system and 5G technology to perform a remote right upper lobectomy on a lung cancer patient in Bucharest, Romania. The distance between the surgeon’s console in Suzhou and the patient was approximately 8,000 kilometers. The procedure lasted roughly three hours and was reported as the world’s first intercontinental single-port robotic thoracic surgery.

The operation was conducted in collaboration with the on-site Romanian medical team that included Dr. Mugurel Bosinceanu. Preparation had taken four months and covered network testing, equipment transport, legal approvals and team training. Sources reported an average network latency of 107 milliseconds that was optimized for smooth operation. The team described the success as a technical breakthrough and a victory of cross-border collaboration.

How it works

A right upper lobectomy removes the upper lobe of the right lung that contains cancerous tissue. In conventional open surgery this requires a large incision and spreading of the ribs. Single-port robotic surgery uses only one small incision, approximately 3 to 4 centimeters, between the ribs.

The surgeon sits at a master console in Suzhou and views a high-definition three-dimensional image transmitted in real time from the robotic camera inside the patient in Romania. Hand controls translate the surgeon’s movements to the robot’s flexible snake-shaped arms. These arms can rotate extensively and operate with precision inside the narrow chest cavity while filtering out natural hand tremor. The 5G connection carries the video feed and control signals with low enough latency that the remote operator experiences near real-time response. The robotic arms dissect vessels and the bronchus, seal them and extract the diseased lobe through the single port.

What it means for international patients

The hospital maintains an international medical department that provides services to overseas patients, including dedicated facilities, English-language medical records and translation support. It has established cooperative relationships with more than 30 universities and hospitals abroad. The demonstrated capability in remote and single-port robotic thoracic procedures indicates specialized expertise in minimally invasive chest surgery.

International patients considering treatment at the hospital for lung cancer or related conditions should contact the hospital directly to confirm current availability, eligibility criteria and suitability for their individual case. No specific pricing or guarantees of access are reported in public sources.

About the hospital

The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University is a Grade III Class A tertiary public hospital located in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Founded in 1883, it serves as a teaching hospital affiliated with Soochow University and operates two main campuses. It has approximately 3,000 beds and is a provincial-level medical center for southern Jiangsu.

The hospital is recognized for national key disciplines in hematology and orthopedics and holds multiple national and provincial clinical key specialties. It ranks in the top tier of Fudan University hospital evaluations for comprehensive strength and has been listed first among top 100 hospitals in China’s prefecture-level cities in repeated assessments. It conducts advanced clinical work, research and international training programs.