Indonesia completes its first remote robotic gynecological surgery

Indonesia has completed its first remote robotic gynecological operation, with a surgeon in Bali controlling a system more than 1,000 kilometres away at Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital’s Kencana operating room in Jakarta.

The minimally invasive procedure was a hysterectomy for a 47-year-old patient who had persistent bleeding outside her menstrual cycle. Doctors linked the bleeding to an incompletely healed internal scar from an earlier caesarean section. Medication had not worked well, and the team chose surgery after considering her condition and preferences. The core robotic portion lasted about 90 minutes, following roughly an hour of anaesthesia, initial laparoscopy and preparation of the robot.

A medical team remained beside the patient in Jakarta while the lead surgeon operated from an Asia-Pacific gynecological surgery meeting in Bali. The remote system translated his hand movements into precise movements by robotic instruments. According to the surgical team, the patient was able to go home the following day.

Before the operation, staff ran repeated simulations and prepared backup plans for a lost internet connection, hospital connectivity problems or a power failure. An on-site surgeon could take over if needed. The hospital, which previously conducted a remote robotic urology operation in 2024, says the milestone extends its work into gynecology and supports knowledge-sharing among specialists.