Azuay Clinic Connects With China For Remote Robotic Surgery
Chip Moreno
A clinic in Gualaceo carried out a remote robotic surgery with the patient in Azuay and the treating doctor in Harbin, China.
What Happened
The procedure took place inside a clinic in Gualaceo, where the patient was positioned under a robotic system known as Kangduo.
From China, the doctor operated controls that moved surgical instruments in Ecuador. The connection between the two locations used a fast internet system, with data traveling through a submarine cable and returning by the same route.
The operation was a bariatric surgery and involved five professionals, including doctors and nurses trained in both medicine and the technology used for the procedure.
Why It Stands Out
The medical team described the operation as a world-record distance for tele-surgery. The project was named Qhapaq Ñan, after the Inca road system.
One doctor involved in the project said tele-surgery connects two distant points through technology so robotic systems can communicate. The robotic arms do not act on their own; they follow the surgeon's commands.
Why This Matters In Azuay
If the technology expands, the practical upside is access. The idea is that patients in more distant areas could receive complex procedures without having to leave their place of residence.
For now, it is one more sign that Azuay's private medical sector is testing tools that would have sounded unrealistic not long ago.
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