Latest news with #VipulPatel
The Star
3 days ago
- Health
- The Star
US surgeon operates on patient in Angola remotely
One of the promises of robotic surgery is that distance between doctor and patient will be no barrier to a successful operation. — AFP A cancer patient in Angola recently underwent the first robotic surgery on the continent conducted remotely by a surgeon in the United States, according to the hospitals involved. The prostatectomy – partial or complete removal of the prostate – on June 14 (2025) was also the first in the world to be done over such a distance, they said. It was 'successfully performed' by urologic surgeon Dr Vipul Patel, who is also the medical director at AdventHealth Global Robotics Institute in Florida, US. 'The procedure spanned nearly 7,000 miles (11,000 kilometres), making it the longest distance telesurgery ever completed,' AdventHealth said in a statement on June 19 (2025). The Complexo Hospitalar Cardeal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento (CHDC) in Angola's capital Luanda said it was 'the first teleassisted surgery performed in Angola and on the African continent'. A multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, engineers and a member of Dr Patel's team was present in the operating block, the CHDC said. The surgery 'went well', the hospital's director Carlos Alberto Masseca said. Three days after the procedure, the patient Fernando da Silva, 67, went home to recover. Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for men in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the Global Cancer Observatory. Many countries on the continent, including Angola, have limited access to early detection and specialised surgical care. The procedure is a 'stunning breakthrough, not just technologically, but in advancing global health equity,' said Dr Patel. 'It marks a critical step toward delivering high-quality surgical care to remote, rural and underserved communities that have long lacked access. 'This is more than innovation, it's a humanitarian leap forward.' – AFP
Express Tribune
22-06-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Florida surgeon performs remote prostate cancer surgery using robotic technology across 7,000 miles
A Florida-based surgeon has made medical history by remotely performing cancer surgery on a patient located over 7,000 miles away in Angola, Africa. The procedure was the first transcontinental robotic telesurgery conducted under a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clinical trial. The patient, a 67-year-old man diagnosed with prostate cancer in March, underwent a prostatectomy — a surgery to remove all or part of the prostate, often used to treat prostate cancer and improve survival outcomes. Increasingly, these procedures are carried out using robotic systems due to their precision and reduced recovery times. Although robotic-assisted surgeries are now common, this was the first time such a procedure was performed remotely across continents. Dr. Vipul Patel, medical director of the Global Robotic Institute at Advent Health in Orlando, operated the robot from Florida while the patient remained in Angola, supported by an on-site medical team. Patel and his team had spent two years preparing for the procedure. 'We traveled the globe, looking at the right technologies,' he told ABC News. He emphasized that contingency plans were in place and a full team was stationed with the patient. 'We made sure we had plan A, B, C, and D. I always have my team where the patient is,' he said. The surgery went smoothly, without complications. Patel now plans to submit clinical data from the operation to the FDA in hopes of conducting similar procedures in the future. He believes this breakthrough could reshape healthcare delivery. 'Emergency room physicians will have technology that can be remotely accessible to surgeons, maybe even in the ambulance,' Patel said, highlighting the potential for life-saving interventions when hospital access is limited.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctor uses robot to remotely perform surgery on patient thousands of miles away
A doctor in Florida has used a robot to remotely perform surgery on a cancer patient thousands of miles away in Africa. Vipul Patel, the medical director of the Global Robotic Institute at Orlando's Advent Health, recently performed a prostatectomy, which removes part or all of the prostate, on Fernando da Silva of Angola, ABC News reported in an exclusive story from medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton on Tuesday. Da Silva, 67, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March, and in June, Patel cut out the cancer using transcontinental robotic telesurgery. The surgery was a success, according to ABC News. Prostate cancer is very prevalent in Africa, Patel told the network, adding, 'In the past, they really haven't monitored it well or they haven't had treatments.' The doctor said this surgery was a long time coming. 'We've been working on this really for two years,' Patel said. "We traveled the globe, looking at the right technologies." Da Silva was the first patient in a human clinical trial approved by the Food and Drug Administration to test this technology. Surgeons have used a multimillion-dollar robot to operate on patients using 'enhanced visuals and nimble controls' before, ABC News reported, but they are often near their patients when operating the machine. Patel used fiber optic cables to test the technology at a long distance from his patient. 'There was no perceptible delay in my brain,' the doctor said. His surgical team was in the operating room with Da Silva just in case they had to jump in. "We made sure we had plan A, B, C, and D. I always have my team where the patient is," the doctor said. In case something went awry with the telecommunications, "the team would just take over and finish the case and do it safely,' he said. Reflecting on the surgery, Patel called it 'a small step for a surgeon, but it was huge leap for health care.' He said the 'humanitarian implications are enormous.' "Internationally, obviously, there's so many underserved areas of the world,' the doctor said, adding that rural communities in the U.S. could also benefit from the technology. He continued: "Emergency room physicians will have technology that can be remotely accessible to surgeons, maybe even in the ambulance, where people can get remote interventions if they can't make it to the hospital.' Patel said he will submit the data he collected from the surgery to the FDA with the hopes that he can do more telesurgeries in the future.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Doctor uses robot to remotely perform surgery on patient thousands of miles away
A doctor in Florida has used a robot to remotely perform surgery on a cancer patient thousands of miles away in Africa. Vipul Patel, the medical director of the Global Robotic Institute at Orlando's Advent Health, recently performed a prostatectomy, which removes part or all of the prostate, on Fernando da Silva of Angola, ABC News reported in an exclusive story from medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton on Tuesday. Da Silva, 67, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March, and in June, Patel cut out the cancer using transcontinental robotic telesurgery. The surgery was a success, according to ABC News. Prostate cancer is very prevalent in Africa, Patel told the network, adding, 'In the past, they really haven't monitored it well or they haven't had treatments.' The doctor said this surgery was a long time coming. 'We've been working on this really for two years,' Patel said. "We traveled the globe, looking at the right technologies." Da Silva was the first patient in a human clinical trial approved by the Food and Drug Administration to test this technology. Surgeons have used a multimillion-dollar robot to operate on patients using 'enhanced visuals and nimble controls' before, ABC News reported, but they are often near their patients when operating the machine. Patel used fiber optic cables to test the technology at a long distance from his patient. 'There was no perceptible delay in my brain,' the doctor said. His surgical team was in the operating room with Da Silva just in case they had to jump in. "We made sure we had plan A, B, C, and D. I always have my team where the patient is," the doctor said. In case something went awry with the telecommunications, "the team would just take over and finish the case and do it safely,' he said. Reflecting on the surgery, Patel called it 'a small step for a surgeon, but it was huge leap for health care.' He said the 'humanitarian implications are enormous.' "Internationally, obviously, there's so many underserved areas of the world,' the doctor said, adding that rural communities in the U.S. could also benefit from the technology. He continued: "Emergency room physicians will have technology that can be remotely accessible to surgeons, maybe even in the ambulance, where people can get remote interventions if they can't make it to the hospital.' Patel said he will submit the data he collected from the surgery to the FDA with the hopes that he can do more telesurgeries in the future.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Amul Dairy to set up Rs 100cr processing plant in Assam
Vadodara: The Kaira District Milk Producers Union Limited, popularly known as Amul Dairy, is set to establish a dairy processing plant in Assam with an investment ranging between Rs 75 crore and Rs 100 crore. The move is aimed at boosting dairy production in the region and expanding Amul's footprint in the eastern belt of the country. The Assam govt has allotted a 20-bigha parcel of land on lease to Amul Dairy at the Institute of Farm Management Campus in Rani, near Guwahati. The decision to lease the land was approved earlier this month by the state cabinet as part of a broader initiative to enhance the dairy sector under the Advantage Assam 2.0 programme. Amul Dairy chairman Vipul Patel confirmed the development, stating that the Assam plant is part of the cooperative's ongoing expansion across India. "Our new projects, including the Chittoor Dairy in Andhra Pradesh and the ice cream plant in Pune, are already operational. Paneer and sweets production has also begun at the Pune facility," he said. According to the agreement signed with the Assam govt, the new plant is expected to benefit around 20,000 dairy farmers in the state. Initially, the plant will have a milk processing capacity of one lakh litres per day, with plans for future expansion. "The plant in Assam will become operational within the next one and a half years," said Amul Dairy managing director Amit Vyas, told TOI. He added that the facility will play a significant role in strengthening Amul's operations in the northeastern region.
