Percutaneous nephrolithotomy guided by 5G-powered robot-assisted teleultrasound diagnosis system: first clinical experience with a novel tele-assistance approach (IDEAL stage 1).

Background: To demonstrate the technical feasibility of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) guided by 5G-powered robot-assisted teleultrasound diagnosis system (RTDS) in a complex kidney-stone (CKS) cohort and present our preliminary outcomes. PCNL is highly skill-required, which hinders it popularization in primary medical units of remote regions. We designed an innovative tele-assistance approach to make PCNL easy to be operated by inexperienced surgeons.

[Ultra-remote robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery for varicocele through 5G network: Report of two cases and review of the literature].

Objective: At present, the longest network transmission distance (NTD) for 5G remote endoscopic surgery is reportedly only about 229 km, and the NTD longer than 5 000 km has not yet been reported in clinical application. In this study, we attempted the clinical application of 5G ultra-remote robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery in spermatic vein ligation.

Methods: This retrospective study included two cases of 5G ultra-remote robot-assisted laparoscopic spermatic vein ligation using the home-made Tumai Surgical Robot System.