NewsABC7 News San Francisco (KGO-TV)October 26, 2026San Francisco County
Doctor performs robotic telesurgery on prostate cancer patient 35 miles away
Photo: ABC7 News San Francisco (KGO-TV)
A Florida doctor performed the first robotic telesurgery between two hospitals in the United States on Sunday, removing a prostate from a patient located 35 miles away. Dr. Vipul Patel operated the robotic system remotely from AdventHealth Celebration while the patient was in an operating room at AdventHealth Minneola. The procedure is part of an FDA-authorized clinical research study examining whether telesurgery can expand patient access to specialized medical care regardless of geography.
Read the full story at ABC7 News San Francisco (KGO-TV)Why It Matters
The procedure tests a technology that could alter how patients receive specialized surgical treatments across geographic distances, though safety and effectiveness questions remain under investigation.
Key Facts
- Dr. Vipul Patel performed a robotic telesurgery to remove a prostate from a 66-year-old man with prostate cancer.
- The surgeon operated from AdventHealth Celebration while the patient was located 35 miles away at AdventHealth Minneola.
- This was the first robotic telesurgery of its kind performed between two hospitals in the United States.
- A qualified surgeon was present in the operating room with the patient at AdventHealth Minneola.
- The surgery is part of an FDA-authorized clinical research study examining broader implementation of robotic surgery.
- Nearly one dozen telesurgery procedures were previously conducted between hospitals in Orlando and Luanda, Angola, over 7,000 miles apart as part of the study.
Who's Mentioned
locationCelebration“Location in Florida near Orlando.”locationOrlando“City in Florida near Celebration.”locationLuanda“City in Angola used in prior telesurgery procedures.”OrganizationAdventHealth Celebration“Hospital location in Celebration, Florida, where the doctor controlled the robot”locationUnited States“Country where the inter-hospital telesurgery first took place.”locationAngola“Country where prior telesurgery procedures were conducted.”OrganizationFood and Drug Administration“Regulator that authorized the clinical research study.”OrganizationABC News“News organization informed about the patient's post-surgery condition.”PersonVipul Patel“Founder and medical director of the Global Robotics Institute who performed the ”locationMinneola“Location in Florida where the patient's hospital is situated.”OrganizationAdventHealth Minneola“Hospital location where the patient underwent surgery.”OrganizationGlobal Robotics Institute“Institute founded and directed by Dr. Vipul Patel.”