Surgeons Utilize Robots for Remote Heart Surgery Across Continents

In a groundbreaking medical achievement, the world’s first cross-border robot-assisted heart surgery has been successfully executed, connecting doctors and a patient over an astounding distance of more than 10, 000 kilometers. This remarkable operation showcases the advancements in remote surgical technology and medical robotics.

The historic procedure occurred on October 23, 2025, under the skilled hands of Professor Wang Yan, president of Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital, and Professor Lionel Leroux from Bordeaux University Hospital, who effectively collaborated to perform a transcatheter mitral valve repair (TEER) on a 73-year-old patient located in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.

The TEER procedure is celebrated for its minimally invasive approach, allowing the surgical team to repair cardiac valves without resorting to open-heart surgery. Thanks to a high-speed internet connection, the surgeons in Bordeaux remotely operated the surgical robot in real time, successfully completing the surgery in approximately one hour without encountering any complications.

Revolutionizing Remote Surgical Techniques

While this robotic surgical system has been employed successfully in domestic operations within China, this cross-border intervention represents a significant milestone in international medical collaboration. Provincial officials hailed this achievement as a “major breakthrough in remote cardiac intervention, ”emphasizing China’s expanding capabilities in advanced medical robotics.

A Chinese doctor has completed the world’s first cross-border robot-assisted heart intervention surgery. He, in Bordeaux🇫🇷, remotely controlled China’s self-developed surgical robot to operate on a patient in Xiamen🇨🇳.The distance is over 10, 000 km.pic.twitter.com/yu52CACLGx

— Li Zexin (@XH_Lee23) November 11, 2025

Although remote robotic surgery has been a reality for decades, including notable cases such as the “Lindbergh Operation” in 2001 between New York and Strasbourg, this remains the first instance where such a complex heart procedure has traversed national borders.

The patient has successfully recuperated and was discharged shortly after the surgery, with medical staff describing the outcome as “near perfect.” This landmark event could pave the way for future innovations in remote surgeries, expanding access to expert medical care worldwide.

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