The surgical team at Vinmec Smart City Hospital works with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lê Văn Thành during a left liver resection procedure for a 42-year-old patient. — Photo courtesy of Vinmec

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese doctors have performed the country’s first two-way remote robotic surgeries, allowing surgeons in Hà Nội and Cần Thơ to operate on patients nearly 1,700 kilometres apart.

The procedures, conducted between Vinmec Smart City Hospital in Hà Nội and Vinmec Cần Thơ Hospital, mark a major step in Việt Nam’s adoption of remote robotic surgery technology and the development of a 'borderless surgery' model, officials said on Monday.

The operations involved two patients treated at different hospitals, with surgeons controlling a robotic system remotely while their movements were transmitted in real time between the two locations.

The first procedure was performed on a 15-year-old girl at Vinmec Cần Thơ who had an ovarian dermoid cyst. Doctors in Hà Nội used the robotic system to remove the tumour in about one hour while preserving ovarian function and reproductive potential.

The second case involved a 42-year-old man receiving treatment at Vinmec Smart City after being diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, a form of liver cancer, linked to chronic hepatitis B infection.

After a multidisciplinary assessment, doctors carried out a laparoscopic left liver resection and gallbladder removal. The four-hour operation was remotely controlled by surgeons based in Cần Thơ and was completed successfully, Vinmec said.

Both patients were recovering well after surgery, according to the healthcare system.

A robotic system performs surgery on a 15-year-old patient with an ovarian dermoid cyst at Vinmec Cần Thơ.

Departments of health in Hà Nội and Cần Thơ cities, and Vinmec said the achievement made Việt Nam one of the first two countries in Southeast Asia to successfully implement a high-tech remote robotic surgery model.

Nguyễn Trọng Diện, director of the Hà Nội Department of Health, said the procedures represented a breakthrough in applying advanced technology to medical treatment.

“The success of these two-way remote robotic surgeries represents a major advance for Việt Nam’s healthcare system in applying high-tech medical solutions,” he said.

Hoàng Quốc Cường, director of the Cần Thơ Department of Health, said the technology could help patients access specialised treatment without having to travel long distances, while allowing leading surgeons to participate in operations remotely.

“The value of this achievement is not only the first successful surgeries, but also the ability to apply technology sustainably in treatment and improve healthcare capacity,” he said.

CEO of Vinmec Healthcare System, Trần Trung Dũng, said the aim was to build a network where patients at different facilities could receive care from appropriate specialists regardless of location.

“Vinmec’s goal is not simply to perform remote surgeries, but to ensure that patients can access suitable experts across the entire healthcare system,” he said.

Nguyễn Trọng Diện, Director of the Hà Nội Department of Health, visits a patient recovering after surgery at Vinmec Smart City Hospital.

Vinmec said it had previously introduced several complex medical techniques, including stem cell transplantation for high-risk blood cancer patients, minimally invasive treatment for rare epilepsy cases, pediatric liver transplantation and fetal blood transfusion procedures.

The latest achievement comes as Việt Nam seeks to expand the use of advanced technology in healthcare and improve access to specialised medical services beyond major urban centres. — VNS