First robotic telesurgery applied to bariatric surgery in Latin America: technical fundamentals, operational challenges and perspectives in clinical practice

Background:

The use of robotic systems in bariatric surgery has reached a stage of maturity that supports its application with consistent results in the management of severe obesity. At the same time, the improvement of communication networks and digital support bases has renewed the debate on telesurgery as an alternative to extend the reach of specialized surgical care, particularly in contexts marked by the unequal concentration of highly complex services.

Aims:

To present the first teleassisted bariatric robotic operation in Latin America between two states of Brazil separated by 3,200 km, in order to demonstrate its operational capacity in real time.

Methods:

Vertical gastrectomy was performed with two separate teams: one performing the procedure in the metropolitan area of Curitiba (PR), and the other in the city of João Pessoa (PB), both in Brazil.

Results:

The procedure was performed without significant operative differences when compared to the face-to-face system and in the same way that it could have been done without the use of telesurgery.

Conclusions:

Within this transition process, robotic assisted bariatric surgery stands out as a strategic environment for experimentation, systematic evaluation and consolidation, giving access to new approaches, such as telesurgery, contributing to the construction of a more integrated and innovative surgical model.