Robotic telesurgery: a real‐world comparison of ground‐ and satellite‐based internet performance

Abstract

Telesurgery was performed with ground vs. satellite networks, and differing satellite bandwidths. The networks were compared during internal mammary artery (LIMA) dissection in pigs (n = 8). Length of LIMA dissected and surgical quality (five-point scale) were recorded. Also, satellite bandwidth was decreased (n = 7) to determine a limit for telesurgery. No significant differences existed in LIMA dissection during the ground (4.3 +/- 0.5 cm) and satellite phases (5.4 +/- 1.1 cm; p > 0.05) or in quality of surgery, although latency on satellite was 10 times greater (55 vs. 600 ms). With decreasing satellite bandwidth, surgery was not possible below 3 Mb/s, and quality of surgery was significantly decreased comparing 9 Mb/s (4.38 +/- 0.66/5) to 3 Mb/s (4.10 +/- 0.80/5; p < 0.05). Satellite communication is a viable telesurgical modality. Satellite bandwidth should be above 5 Mb/s during telesurgery if used primarily or as back-up.