Telesurgery still a long way off in Korea, says leading single-port robotic surgeon

While telesurgery -- robot-assisted remote surgery -- is advancing rapidly worldwide, a leading Korean surgeon says the technology still faces significant hurdles before it can be applied to patients in Korea, citing low public awareness and insufficient institutional support.

Dr. Moon Hye-sung, director of the Robot Surgery Center at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, made the remarks at a news conference on Monday. Moon introduced the da Vinci SP system to the hospital in 2019, making it the second institution in Korea to adopt it, and has since performed 1,500 single-port robotic surgeries in just five years -- setting a world record for the highest number of such procedures.

She has also used single-port precision surgery to treat patients with high-risk conditions, including giant uterus and giant fibroids, which previously required open surgery. A large-scale analysis showed a complication rate of just 2.5 percent, underscoring the procedure’s safety.

Single-port robotic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure requiring a single incision of less than 2 cm in the navel. Since its introduction to Korea in 2018, it has been used in obstetrics and gynecology, urology, and general surgery.

Global progress, local constraints

Moon, who holds the world record in single-port robotic surgery, is closely following advances in remote surgery. The combination of high-speed communications and increasingly precise robotic systems has enabled surgeons overseas to operate in real time on patients located thousands of kilometers away.

Recent successes include remote surgery in China using the “Kangduo” system; operations linking the United States, Angola, and France; procedures using Japan’s “Hinotori” system; demonstrations between France and the U.S. with the da Vinci 5 system; and telesurgery connecting France and India via the “SSi Mantra” system.

In Korea, there have been reports of successful demonstrations in the U.S. using Livsmed’s “Stark” system -- scheduled for release next year -- in collaboration with a remote medical technology company.

Despite such progress, Moon believes Korea still has a long way to go.

“Given the current state of telemedicine in Korea, where it is not yet widespread, there will inevitably be many constraints before remote surgery becomes a reality,” she said. “While the surgical skills of Korean medical staff are highly commendable, the systems to support them are lacking.”

She emphasized that developing robotic surgery systems must go hand in hand with the expertise of highly skilled doctors. “It is essential to understand global trends and raise awareness,” she added.

Sharing expertise worldwide

Moon is also expanding her educational outreach. She recently introduced the “Intuitive Hub” and launched a platform to train medical professionals worldwide. The hub supports real-time streaming and remote collaboration, enabling surgeons overseas to learn techniques without visiting Korea in person.

On Sept. 13, Ewha Medical Center will host the 10th Ewha Robotic Surgery Symposium, featuring live general surgery and gynecology procedures to mark the hub’s launch.

“We expect this initiative to reduce time lost to travel and the resulting gaps in patient care, ultimately lowering social and economic costs,” Moon said.

She is also working with Intuitive Surgical to establish a structured single-port robotic surgery training program by 2026, aiming to encourage wider adoption of the technique.