UK surgeon performs first long-distance robotic operation from London on patient in Gibraltar
Mar 6th 2026
Professor Prokar Dasgupta remotely removed a patient’s prostate in Gibraltar from The London Clinic using the Toumai Robotic System over a fibre-optic link with 5G backup, marking the UK’s first long-distance robotic surgery.
- Operation performed on 11 February by Professor Prokar Dasgupta on 62-year-old patient Paul Buxton in Gibraltar.
- Procedure was a prostate removal using the Toumai Robotic System with a 3D HD camera and four robotic arms.
- Surgeon controlled the robot from The London Clinic with a reported console delay of 0.06 seconds.
- Connection used fibre-optic cables with a 5G backup and a local surgical team at St Bernard's hospital on standby.
- This was part of a trial that included a second test case and a planned live-streamed procedure to the European Association of Urology congress.
- Organisers say the approach aims to reduce patient travel and expand specialist care to remote locations.