On 3/8, the Hanoi Department of Health and Vinmec Healthcare System announced the successful completion of two remote robotic surgeries performed simultaneously between Hanoi and Can Tho. This marks the first time Vietnamese doctors have fully mastered two-way robotic surgery technology, allowing specialists at two locations over 1,700 km apart to take turns controlling the system to perform operations.

The two-way capability was demonstrated in distinct cases. In the first procedure, a team of specialists at Vinmec Smart City Hospital in Hanoi remotely controlled a robot to remove an ovarian tumor from a 15-year-old female patient in the operating room at Vinmec Can Tho Hospital. The doctors carefully preserved ovarian tissue to maintain her future fertility. The second surgery reversed this dynamic, with doctors in Can Tho remotely controlling a robot to remove a liver cancer tumor from a 42-year-old male patient in Hanoi.

Dr. Nguyen Trong Dien, Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, hailed this as an important milestone, affirming Vietnam's surgical capabilities in applying high technology to medical examination and treatment. He stated that the event demonstrates domestic doctors' full proficiency in modern surgical techniques.

Dr. Nguyen Trong Dien, Director of the Hanoi Department of Health (white shirt), visits a patient in Hanoi. Photo: Manh Cuong.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Binh, Director of Vinmec Times City Hospital, the robot precisely transmits the surgeon's movements to the robotic arm but does not replace the doctor. Throughout the operation, surgical and anesthesia resuscitation teams are always present in the operating room, ready to intervene if necessary, ensuring maximum patient safety.

This new model offers a different approach to treating complex diseases. Instead of patients traveling long distances to see specialists, leading doctors can participate in surgeries from different medical facilities. This innovation reduces referral pressure on the healthcare system and bridges the gap in access to high-tech techniques between various localities. "We have realized the goal of 'surgery without borders'," stated Assoc. Prof. Binh. "Patients anywhere can receive direct surgery from leading specialists through the remote robotic system."

Leaders of the Hanoi Department of Health indicated that the city is promoting the development of high-tech medical examination and treatment models, strengthening human resource connections between public and private healthcare systems, and establishing mechanisms for remote medical services, including robotic surgery.

Le Nga