A groundbreaking moment in medical history unfolded in Angola as a 67-year-old cancer patient successfully underwent robotic surgery conducted remotely by a surgeon in the United States—more than 11,000 kilometers away.
The procedure, carried out on June 14, marked the first time in history that a robotic prostatectomy was performed across such a vast distance. Dr. Vipul Patel, medical director at the Global Robotics Institute at AdventHealth in Florida, guided the entire surgery from the US while a medical team stood by in Luanda, Angola.
“The procedure spanned nearly 7,000 miles (11,000 kilometers), making it the longest distance telesurgery ever completed,” AdventHealth confirmed.
The surgery was conducted at Complexo Hospitalar Cardeal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento (CHDC) in Angola’s capital, and according to the hospital, it was also the first teleassisted surgery of its kind performed anywhere in Africa.
Hospital director Carlos Alberto Masseca said the operation on Fernando da Silva, who was battling prostate cancer, “went well” and the patient was discharged just three days later to recover at home.
Dr. Patel called the operation a major milestone not just in robotics, but in addressing medical inequality. “This is more than innovation—it’s a humanitarian leap forward,” he said. “It marks a critical step toward delivering high-quality surgical care to remote, rural and underserved communities that have long lacked access.”
Prostate cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in sub-Saharan Africa. Access to early diagnosis and advanced treatment options is still scarce across many nations in the region, making this surgery a beacon of hope for what technology can make possible in global health.
