Published on
09/09/2025 – 7:03 GMT+2
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At over 4,500 metres above sea level, in Nagqu City located in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, doctors have pulled off a remarkable world first: a successful 5G remote robotic urological surgery at extreme altitude.
The operation connected two hospitals thousands of kilometres apart. On one end, Professor Liu Zhiyu’s team at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University in Liaoning Province; on the other Dr. Wang Yanlong, director of urology at Nagqu People’s Hospital and a member of Liaoning’s medical aid team stationed in Xizang.
Despite the 4,000-kilomere gap, they worked together in real time to carry out the groundbreaking procedure.
Due to Nagqu’s high altitude, every aspect of the surgery was a challenge: the stability of robotic equipment, the clarity and speed of 5G transmission, and even the doctors’ ability to perform under such harsh conditions.
To make it possible, the two hospitals partnered with network providers, running countless tests and simulations to ensure the robots and 5G systems could operate flawlessly in extreme conditions.
The medical team also spent weeks studying the patient’s case, creating a personalised surgical plan and rehearsing the procedure to perfection.
“From a medical perspective, this represents a major breakthrough in 5G remote robotic surgery,” Wang said.
“It proves that even in extremely harsh plateau environments, advanced technology can enable the remote sharing of high-quality medical resources, providing a successful model for addressing healthcare disparities in remote high-altitude regions globally”.
Wang also explained that the experience gained from the operation will pave the way for 5G remote surgeries in even more complex scenarios – potentially transforming how life-saving healthcare is delivered in the world’s most inaccessible places.