Global First: Yichao Medical and MiaoShou Robot Successfully Complete 5G Remote Robotic Surgery

On September 7, 2019, the first 5G-enabled remote robotic laparoscopic surgery was successfully performed through a collaboration between the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and the People’s Hospital of Xixiu District in Anshun City. With signal transmission via optical fiber spanning over 3,000 kilometers, this procedure marked the first of its kind globally.

Notably, China’s independently developed three-arm robotic system “Miaoshou” and Yichao Medical’s ultrasonic energy surgical system made their debut in this surgery, demonstrating excellent clinical performance and highlighting the high quality of domestically produced high-end medical devices.

Anshun and Qingdao are separated by a road distance of over 2,000 kilometers, while the fiber-optic cable route spans more than 3,000 kilometers. Consequently, this procedure is recognized as the internationally most extensive remote-controlled surgery to date. Furthermore, during the operation, the surgeon directly controlled the robotic system in real time, rather than merely providing remote guidance as in previous practices, thereby pushing the boundaries of the current domestic internet’s capacity to support remote surgery.

According to Zhang Jian, Director of the Department of General Surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and Deputy President (on temporary assignment) of Xixiu District People's Hospital, the entire surgical procedure proceeded smoothly and without incident, indicating that the technique is now highly mature.

It is reported that on June 16, more than two months ago, Professor Niu Haitao led his team in performing the first similar surgery in East China. However, the control signal transmission distance for that previous surgery was only 300 kilometers, merely one-tenth of the distance achieved in this procedure.

In this surgical case, the master console was located in Qingdao, while the slave console was set up in Anshun. The lead surgeon was a domestically produced three-armed robotic system named “Miaoshou.” Under the real-time control from the master console at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, “Miaoshou” performed surgery on a live animal, integrating a China-developed ultrasonic energy surgical system.

Prior to the start of the surgery, on-site inspections confirmed that the robotic system’s cable interfaces were functioning normally, all instruments and equipment were operational, and the ultrasonic energy system was running stably. At exactly 9:00 a.m., the procedure officially commenced. Through remote real-time control, the robot precisely and successfully resected the kidney, gallbladder, and bladder of a pig weighing approximately 25 kilograms within 100 minutes. The domestically produced Miaoshou surgical robot and the Yichao ultrasonic energy surgical system passed the test, completing the surgery successfully.

It is reported that both the surgery and the live broadcast were conducted over a 5G network. With its significant advantages of ultra-high bandwidth and ultra-low latency, 5G offers transmission speeds dozens of times faster than 4G. This ensures virtually imperceptible latency in surgical operations, smooth video data transmission, and clear, stutter-free audio and video, making it a reality to extend the reach of the scalpel across thousands of miles in an instant.

“World’s First Ultra-Remote Complex Surgery Successfully Performed Over a 5G Network!” With the suturing of the incision, the surgery was declared a success.

It is reported that this event marked the impressive debut of the “Miaoshou” three-arm robotic system. Featuring seven degrees of freedom and enabling 540° end-effector rotation for multi-directional manipulation, its performance rivals that of the U.S.-monopolized “da Vinci Surgical System.” Meanwhile, Shanghai Yichao Medical’s domestically produced ultrasonic energy surgical product, the Ultrasonic Surgical System, also made its inaugural appearance in this procedure. Its outstanding clinical performance played a crucial role in ensuring the successful execution of the surgery.

Shanghai Yichao Medical Device Co., Ltd. is committed to providing globally innovative and domestically leading solutions and products for minimally invasive surgery. Aligning with the three major human access routes in minimally invasive surgery—transabdominal, transcutaneous, and natural orifice—Yichao Medical has comprehensively developed and strategically deployed three major product portfolios featuring global innovations: the “Ultrasonic Energy Surgical System,” “3D Ultrasound + Consumables,” and “Ultrasound Endoscope + Consumables.”

In the field of laparoscopic minimally invasive surgical access, Yichao Medical offers a comprehensive portfolio of minimally invasive surgical instruments, with its full-line ultrasonic energy systems as the flagship products. Backed by China’s only and internationally leading acoustics team, all core components are independently designed and developed. In addition to its ultrasonic energy surgical systems, its ultra-premium integrated dual-mode electrosurgical unit is about to undergo testing.