Círculo Ecuestre hosted a conference on the forefront of medical technology entitled La cirugía robótica avanza hacia la telecirugía, eliminando fronteras (Robotic surgery advances towards telesurgery, eliminating borders). The session featured Dr. Joan Palou, Director of the Urology Institute at Fundació Puigvert, and Dr. Alberto Breda, Head of Oncological Urology at the same institution. The session was introduced by Antonio Gámiz, Vice President of the Social Area of Círculo Ecuestre.
During the conference, Dr. Palou stated that robotics is already the gold standard in urology and added that, thanks to 3D vision and precision beyond human capability, this technology minimises patient after-effects and optimises the surgeon’s work. “The robot does not operate on its own; it is the tool that allows the surgeon to reach where it was previously impossible,” he noted.
Dr. Breda outlined global milestones led by Fundació Puigvert, such as transcontinental surgeries performed over a distance of 12,000 km with minimal latency thanks to 5G. He also highlighted the success of the Barcelona-Canarias programme, which has already carried out 18 major procedures routinely over distances of 3,000 km.
Democratising healthcare
For both experts, the main benefit of telesurgery lies in its social impact: enabling patients in remote areas or developing countries to access specialised care without the need to travel. The event concluded by underlining Barcelona’s role as a global centre for medical innovation, as well as the ethical and legal challenges posed by this new stage of borderless medicine.