A retiree from Rondônia underwent the first robotic telesurgery performed by the Unified Health System (SUS). The procedure allowed doctors to manipulate equipment in Barretos (SP) while visualizing the patient's intestine on a screen in Porto Velho (RO).
The patient started feeling pain on the left side of the abdomen and also in the spine. He underwent exams at Hospital do Amor in Porto Velho, where a malignant tumor in the intestine was diagnosed.
According to the retiree, the tumor was identified early on. The doctor explained that surgery would be necessary, and he immediately accepted, saying that "if it has to be done, then let's go after it."
The procedure represented a milestone for the Brazilian public health system, demonstrating the possibility of performing robotic surgeries remotely in the SUS.