PHL surgeons make history with 1,380-km remote robotic surgery

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Filipino surgeons based in Pampanga and Cotabato City recently made history after successfully performing remote robotic surgeries on patients located 1,380 kilometers away.

According to the Department of Health (DOH) Central Luzon office here, the remote surgical procedures conducted on September 5 using the SSI Mantra Robotic Surgery System developed in India were the first cross-country telesurgeries undertaken in the Philippines.

The DOH said the feat involved reciprocal cross-country surgeries conducted from the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH) in Pampanga and the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) in Cotabato City.

Dr. Ryan Quiambao at the JBLMGH first performed a robotic Cholecystectomy on a patient at the CRMC, followed by a similar operation by Dr. Al-Jazzser Angas and Dr. Louis Gerard Agustin of CRMC on a patient at JBLMGH, DOH-Central Luzon announced on Wednesday, September 9.

Both procedures were completed safely in less than one hour with minimal blood loss, the DOH said.

The DOH also said that Dr. Sudhir Shrivastava, founder of SS Innovations (SSI) and inventor of the SS Mantra Robotics System, flew all the way from New Delhi, India, to witness the surgeries and provide technical assistance along with SSI staff.

The procedures were also witnessed by DOH Secretary Edwin M. Mercado, Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda, DOH Central Luzon Center for Health Development Director Corazon Flores, JBLMGH Medical Center Chief Monserrat Chichioco, CRMC Medical Center Chief Ishmael Dimaren, JBLMGH Department of Surgery Chair Nazer Salonga, and CRMC Department of Surgery Chair Faisal Romancap.

The DOH also acknowledged the role of administrative, clinical, and technical experts from both JBLMGH and CRMC in making the milestone medical event possible. 

“This breakthrough stands as a powerful testament to JBLMGH’s and CRMC’s commitment to innovation and inclusivity,” DOH said. 

“By leveraging cutting-edge robotic telesurgery, we are not just showcasing technological advancement—we are actively dismantling geographic limitations to ensure that advanced, life-saving healthcare is accessible and equitable for all,” it added.