health-and-technology2 hours ago
Florida surgeon performs first U.S. robotic telesurgery 35 miles away
Dr. Vipul Patel successfully performed a robotic prostatectomy on a patient 35 miles away in Minneola, Florida, marking the first such procedure between two U.S. hospitals. The operation, conducted on October 25, 2026, was part of an FDA-approved clinical study to evaluate the safety and feasibility of remote robotic surgery. While a backup surgical team remained with the patient, Patel controlled the instruments from AdventHealth Celebration near Orlando. The patient is recovering well, and researchers are now assessing network reliability and cybersecurity for potential future expansion.