Feasibility and Safety of Dual-console Telesurgery with the KangDuo Surgical Robot-01 System Using Fifth-generation and Wired Networks: An Animal Experiment and Clinical Study

• Published in: European urology open science (Online) 2023-03, Vol.49, p.6-9
• Main Authors: Fan, Shubo, Xu, Weifeng, Diao, Yingzhi, Yang, Kunlin, Dong, Jie, Qin, Mingwei, Ji, Zhigang, Shen, Cheng, Zhou, Liqun, Li, Xuesong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brief Correspondence; Fifth-generation technology; Partial nephrectomy; Pyeloplasty; Robotics; Telesurgery; Wired network
• ISSN: 2666-1683; 2666-1691; 2666-1683
• DOI: 10.1016/j.euros.2022.12.010

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has drawn attention to telesurgery. Important advances in fifth-generation (5G) mobile telecommunication technology have facilitated the rapid evolution of telesurgery. Previously, only a single console was used in telesurgery; thus, there was the possibility of open or laparoscopic conversion. Furthermore, the 5G network has not been available for regional hospitals in China. From October 2021 to April 2022, dual-console telesurgeries with the KangDuo Surgical Robot-01 (KD-SR-01) system were performed using 5G and wired networks in an animal experiment and clinical study. A partial nephrectomy in a porcine model was performed successfully using a wired network. The console time, warm ischemia time, and control swap time were 69 min, 27 min, and 3 s, respectively. The mean latency time was 130 (range, 60–200) ms. A 32-yr-old male patient successfully underwent a remote pyeloplasty using a series connection of 5G wireless and wired networks. The console time and control swap time were 98 min and 3 s, respectively. The mean latency time was 271 (range, 206–307) ms. In the two studies, data pocket loss was