Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery utilizing 5G technology. Methods Clinical data from five patients who underwent 5G remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery at the Thoracic Surgery Center of Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from May to October 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Finally, five patients were included. There were 2 males and 3 females at median age of 50 (42-63) years. All five surgeries (including 1 patient of lobectomy, 3 patients of partial lung resection and 1 patient of mediastinal lesion resection) were successfully completed without conversion to thoracotomy, complications, or mortality. The median intraoperative signal delay across the patients was 39 (37-42) ms. The median psychological load score for the surgeons was 9 (3-13). The median operation time was 100 (80-122) minutes with a median intraoperative blood loss of 100 (30-200) mL. Catheter drainage lasted a median of 4 (3-5) days, and the median drainage volumes on the first, second, and third postoperative day were 200 (100-300) mL, 150 (60-220) mL, and 80 (30-180) mL, respectively. The median postoperative hospital stay was 4 (3-7) days, and the median pain scores on the third postoperative day were 3 (1-4), 3 (0-3), and 1 (0-3), respectively. Conclusion 5G remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is safe and effective, with good surgical experience, smooth operation and small intraoperative delay.
The da Vinci robotic surgical system, as the world's leading surgical platform, has achieved remarkable accomplishments in technological evolution and clinical practice, while also provoking profound ethical considerations. This paper systematically reviews the core technologies, global application landscape, multidisciplinary clinical evidence, and the ethical challenges accompanying the development of the da Vinci surgical system, with a particular focus on comparing the similarities and differences between global and Chinese contexts in terms of technology adoption pathways, ethical response strategies, and governance models. In the future, the technology will evolve towards deep integration with artificial intelligence and single-port miniaturization, while ethical governance requires the construction of a global collaborative framework, centered on patient safety and equitable access, to guide the technology towards beneficial outcomes. This paper aims to provide an evidence-based reference for surgical clinical practice, medical technology policy, and ethical governance.