Surgeon performs Nordic first remote operation between public hospitals

A Danish surgeon has performed the first remote operation between two public hospitals in the Nordic region, operating from Sygehus Sønderjylland in Aabenraa on a patient more than 1,200 kilometres away in Tórshavn, DR reports.

The man underwent surgery for a groin hernia at a hospital in the Faroe Islands while consultant surgeon Jan Krzak controlled a surgical robot in Aabenraa.

Krzak completed the operation in 50 minutes. He said he was more cautious than usual because the patient was not beside him but 1,209 kilometres away.

A consultant surgeon in the Faroe Islands was ready to take over if the connection failed or something went wrong. Krzak said the procedure had been planned very carefully.

Part of a clinical study

The operation is the first stage of a clinical study examining whether remote surgery can be carried out safely and reliably in practice.

Per Helligsø, head physician in the surgical department at Sygehus Sønderjylland, said the result showed that the technology was technically feasible and could create new opportunities in the future.

He said remote surgery could help provide more equal access to medical treatment across the realm. Patients from Greenland, the Faroe Islands and remote parts of Denmark often have to travel to hospitals with the expertise needed for a particular operation.

With remote surgery, patients could remain in familiar surroundings while the required expertise is delivered through the robot, Helligsø said.

Krzak said he believed the procedure was only the beginning. He expects that surgeons could eventually operate from home using virtual reality glasses and specially designed gloves.