Professor Prokar Dasgupta is a urology surgeon based in London, who recently led a landmark medical procedure in which a patient was operated on in Gibraltar (British Overseas Territories) from over 1,500 miles (2,414 km) away.
This surgery was the first time a doctor in the United Kingdom had performed a robotic operation at such a distance.Dasgupta performed the procedure from a surgical console at the London Clinic in the UK while the patient lay in the operating room at St Bernard’s Hospital in Gibraltar. The operation involved removing the prostate of 62-year-old cancer patient Paul Buxton, using a robotic surgical system connected via high-speed communication lines.
The robotic system used four mechanical arms and a high-definition 3D camera. Dasgupta was controlling the robot from London while watching the surgery on screen. There was a delay of only about 60 milliseconds between the surgeon’s hand movements and the robot’s response, allowing the operation to be performed accurately.Medical experts described this procedure as a milestone in the field of telehealth. Dasgupta said technology has made it possible to treat patients who live far from specialized centres.
He noted that remote robotic surgery could help patients in small communities and remote areas who may have to travel long distances for complex procedures.The operation was carried out with the support of surgeons based in Gibraltar who were ready to intervene if necessary. The system linking London and Gibraltar used fibre-optic connections and a redundant 5G network to ensure the robotic controls remained stable during the procedure.The patient’s name was Paul Buxton, and he said he felt “amazing” just four days after surgery. Buxton had previously expected to travel to the UK and spend weeks waiting for treatment. Participating in the remote procedure allowed him to receive care in Gibraltar instead.Dasgupta is known as a pioneering figure in robotic urology. He heads the Center of Robotic Excellence at the London Clinic and specializes in procedures involving the prostate and urinary tract.Robotic surgery is increasingly being used in the UK for operations such as prostate cancer treatment because it allows surgeons to make smaller, more precise incisions, which may reduce recovery time and complications.The successful procedure in Gibraltar is seen as an important step in expanding the reach of telesurgery, where surgeons operate on patients from remote locations using robotic systems. Doctors say this technology could eventually be used to provide specialized care to remote areas, conflict zones, or places where experienced surgeons are not available.Professor Prokar Dasgupta was born in Rourkela, Odisha, India and partly raised in Lucknow. He obtained his medical degree from Calcutta Medical College in 1989 before moving to the UK for specialist training. He later became a leading British surgeon and was awarded India’s Padma Shri for his contributions to medicine.
