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How was a patient in Strasbourg, France, operated on by surgeons in New York City during the Lindbergh Operation?

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Robotic heart surgery — robotic surgery Laparoscopic cameras and robotic hands performing coronary artery bypass surgery in place of open-heart surgery.

The 2001 Lindbergh Operation was a landmark achievement in telesurgery that enabled a remote cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) to be performed on a patient in Strasbourg, France, by surgeons located in New York City.1

This procedure was made possible by advancements in robotic surgical systems and high-speed telecommunication technologies. The surgeons utilized a remote console equipped with master controllers to manipulate robotic instruments positioned at the patient's bedside in France. Computer processing linked the surgeons' movements to the robotic arms, while a binocular camera system provided a three-dimensional view of the surgical field, allowing the team to perform the operation despite the significant geographic distance.1

While this event demonstrated the feasibility of remote surgery, the practice has not gained widespread popularity, largely due to the challenges posed by time delays between the control end and the operating end.1