Key Points
- Surgeons at The London Clinic in London performed the UK’s first remote robotic telesurgery on patients in Gibraltar, 2,400km away.
- Professor Prokar Dasgupta led the procedure, operating a Toumai Robotic System by Microport via a console with a 0.06-second (60-millisecond) delay over high-speed fibre optic lines with 5G backup.
- First patient was Paul Buxton, 62, from Burnham-On-Sea originally, now in Gibraltar for 40 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer post-Christmas; he called it a “no-brainer” and felt “fantastic” four days later.
- Second procedure on March 4, 2026, on an unnamed 52-year-old man; both were prostatectomies (prostate removal).
- Collaboration between The London Clinic, Gibraltar Health Authority, and supported by Presidio; local team in Gibraltar on standby.
- Patient Paul Buxton owns a transport company; avoided NHS wait and travel to UK, elevating Gibraltar’s surgery from “Championship to Champions League”.
- Next procedure on March 14, 2026, live-streamed to 20,000 urologists at European Association of Urology congress.
- Statements from Al Russell (CEO, The London Clinic): proud of medical history and firsts; Gemma Arias-Vasquez (Gibraltar Health Minister): landmark for GHA and patients.
- Aims to aid remote areas by reducing travel costs/inconveniences; Dasgupta: “fools my brain into thinking I’m in Gibraltar”.
What Made This the UK’s First Remote Robotic Surgery?
A surgeon in London has achieved a medical milestone by performing the United Kingdom’s inaugural remote robotic telesurgery on a patient 2,400 kilometres away in Gibraltar. As reported by ITV News journalists, the procedure marked the first time such technology bridged this distance successfully in the UK.
Professor Prokar Dasgupta, leading The London Clinic’s Robotic Centre of Excellence, controlled the Toumai Robotic System—developed by Microport—from a console equipped with a 3D HD camera and four arms. As stated by Professor Dasgupta to ITV News, “The surgery was a milestone. It went extremely well. We operated on an NHS patient in Gibraltar from The London Clinic 2,400km away using a robot with a 3D HD camera with four arms. The robot is completely controlled from a console, which is like a computer console, using high-speed lines with a time delay of, would you believe it, only 0.06 seconds, that 60 milliseconds.”
The connection relied on fibre optics with a 5G backup, ensuring no failures, while a local team at St Bernard’s Hospital in Gibraltar stood ready to intervene. Independent journalists detailed that Professor Dasgupta confirmed to the Press Association (PA) the lag was minimal, making it “almost as if I was there”.
Who Was the First Patient in This Pioneering Procedure?
Paul Buxton, a 62-year-old Briton originally from Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset who has lived in Gibraltar for 40 years, became the “guinea pig” for this breakthrough. As reported by Independent health correspondent Lydia Catling, Mr Buxton, owner of a transport company, received a shock prostate cancer diagnosis after Christmas and opted for the remote surgery to avoid NHS waiting lists and travel.
In his statement to ITV News, Mr Buxton said: “A lot of people actually said to me: ‘You’re not going to do it, are you?’ I thought, I’m giving something back here. If I hadn’t gone for the telesurgery in Gibraltar, then I would have had to have flown to London, I would have had to go on the NHS waiting list, get the procedure done and I would have probably been in London for three weeks. So I thought: ‘This is a no-brainer’. And it is pioneering for Gibraltar, because you don’t need to leave Gibraltar. Normally, any major surgeries, apart from minor stuff, maybe hernias and things like that, you end up having to go to either London or Madrid.”
Mr Buxton added: “I was really well looked after. I was feeling fantastic four days after the operation. It’s been a privilege to be part of medical history.” He likened the advancement to taking Gibraltar from the “Championship to the Champions League” in surgical access.
What Happened in the Second Surgery on March 4?
The first official procedure occurred on March 4, 2026, when Professor Dasgupta performed another prostatectomy on an unnamed 52-year-old man at St Bernard’s Hospital. As detailed by ITV News, this followed a test case on Paul Buxton on February 11.
Speaking after the March 4 surgery to PA, as quoted by Independent journalists, Professor Dasgupta said: “This is a historic moment – the first telesurgery procedure from The London Clinic to Gibraltar, 2,400 kilometres away. Unbelievable. It went very well. We used a robot and a very specialised connection between London to Gibraltar didn’t fail at all. The time delay between the two sides fools my brain into thinking I’m in Gibraltar. This is very good news for patients in Gibraltar and other remote areas. I think it is very, very exciting, the humanitarian benefit is going to be significant.”
Yahoo News UK reported the surgeon as “Prokargupta” (noting the common misspelling of Prokar Dasgupta), emphasising the procedure’s success on the prostate cancer patient.
How Does the Technology Behind Remote Robotic Surgery Work?
The Toumai Robotic System features four arms and a 3D HD camera, fully controlled remotely with unprecedented low latency. As explained by Professor Dasgupta in The London Clinic’s official release, the high-speed connection ensured precision despite the distance.
A Gibraltar team was on standby, per ITV and Independent reports, to handle any disruptions. Upday News described: “Professor Prokar Dasgupta controlled a robotic system from The London Clinic while his patient lay on an operating table at St Bernard’s Hospital in Gibraltar, with only a 60-millisecond time delay between his console and the robot’s movements.”
Express.co.uk noted the fibre optics and 5G setup, with Professor Dasgupta directing the robotic arms.
What Are the Benefits for Patients in Remote Areas?
This innovation addresses healthcare access gaps. Professor Dasgupta told ITV News: “Patients in remote areas do not always have access to the best healthcare. The remote robotic surgery means that patients can be saved the ‘vast expense and inconvenience’ of travelling for care. This gives us the opportunity to treat patients in remote areas and smaller communities by literally being able to take the best surgeon anywhere. The technology now exists to provide this benefit to patients.”
For Gibraltar residents, reliant on St Bernard’s for basics but traveling for complex care, this is transformative. Mr Buxton avoided weeks in London.
Who Collaborated on This Medical Breakthrough?
The London Clinic partnered with Gibraltar Health Authority, supported by Presidio for technology. The Times reported the remote operation on Paul Buxton’s prostate tumour.
Al Russell, Chief Executive at The London Clinic, stated to ITV News: “The London Clinic is proud to be part of medical history and we have a strong reputation for medical firsts. We hope more patients will be able to benefit from this incredible medical breakthrough.”
Gibraltar Minister for Health Gemma Arias-Vasquez said: “This is a landmark moment for the Gibraltar Health Authority and for our patients. To deliver a complex procedure in Gibraltar with the operating surgeon based in London shows how technology, investment and the expertise of our clinicians are transforming healthcare.”
BBC News covered the 1,500-mile operation by the London doctor. The Guardian termed it “sci-fi surgery” with the four-armed robot.
What Comes Next for Remote Robotic Surgery?
Professor Dasgupta will repeat the procedure on March 14, 2026, live-streamed to 20,000 at the European Association of Urology congress in London, as per ITV and Express reports.
This two-case trial paves the way for broader use, promising humanitarian gains worldwide. As Yahoo News UK noted, medics hailed it a “significant achievement”.
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