Cases & Voices
Brazil: RNP connects the world's first robotic telesurgery using standard internet
(Source: RNP, Brazil) October 10th marked an unprecedented achievement in the history of medicine: the world's first robotic telesurgery performed using low-cost internet technology and a non-dedicated network, during the 54th Unimed National Convention at the João Pessoa Convention Center (PB). The procedure also established a milestone for Latin America, connecting João Pessoa (PB) and Curitiba (PR) in a remote telesurgery between cities more than 3,200 kilometers apart.
The experimental operation was performed on an animal model (pig) located in Curitiba, at the facilities of Scolla, one of the leading surgical training centers in Latin America. The robot was controlled in real time from the event's auditorium, in front of doctors, researchers, and technology specialists.
State-of-the-art connectivity for high-precision telemedicine.
To enable an ultra-low latency and highly stable connection between the two cities, the National Education and Research Network (RNP) played a decisive role in providing the end-to-end network between the organization's Points of Presence (PoPs) in Paraíba and Paraná.
The operation involved professionals from the areas of network engineering and applied research, with the participation of the general director of RNP, Lisandro Granville, the deputy director of Engineering and Operations, Ari Frazão, the director of Research, Development and Innovation, Iara Machado, and the network specialist, Marcel Faria.
RNP's involvement ensured that data traffic between the two ends occurred with minimal latency and maximum reliability, critical factors for performing remote surgery in real time.
Collaboration and innovation in networks
In addition to RNP, the operation's infrastructure relied on the support of several strategic partners, such as Ligga Telecom, responsible for the last mile in Curitiba; Codata, which enabled the local connection in João Pessoa; and providers such as HostDime Brasil, UpLink, and Soow Sigma, as well as Fortinet, which collaborated on network configuration and security.
This initiative is part of the Robotic Surgery and Telesurgery Program of Unimed do Brasil, conceived by Gualter Lisboa Ramalho, Marketing and Market Director of Unimed do Brasil and president of Unimed João Pessoa, and coordinated by Gustavo Ribeiro Neves, president of Unimed Sorocaba (SP).
"Telesurgery is already a reality; it's no longer a future prospect," stated Marcelo Loureiro, CEO of Scolla and a pioneering partner in the project.
A milestone for telemedicine in Brazil.
The successful demonstration opens new perspectives for medicine and digital health research in the country, especially regarding the technical and economic feasibility of using conventional connections in highly complex procedures.
The result reinforces RNP's role as an enabler of technological innovations in critical areas such as health and education, by offering a network infrastructure capable of supporting scientific experiments, professional training, and cutting-edge applications that bring science closer to society.
