On October 20, 2026, the Rector of the Medical University – Pleven, Prof. Dr. Dobromir Dimitrov, performed a remote robotic surgery. He operated a surgical robot from Shanghai, China, while the patient was in an operating room in Pleven—a distance of over 8,000 kilometers.
This innovative procedure was carried out by the Medical University – Pleven, the "Leonardo da Vinci" Competence Center, and the Clinic of Oncological Surgery at the "Dr. Georgi Stranski" University Hospital in Pleven, utilizing the Toumai robotic system developed by MicroPort MedBot.
The surgery was performed to treat a left inguinal hernia using the minimally invasive TAPP (transabdominal preperitoneal) technique. The procedure itself lasted approximately one hour and was successfully completed. The patient emerged from anesthesia in good condition during the immediate postoperative period.
Patient safety was the primary priority. Throughout the procedure, a medical team was present alongside the patient in Pleven. This team included surgeons Assoc. Prof. Dr. Martin Karamanliev and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Polina Marinova; anesthesiologist Dr. Slavina Yohanova; operating room nurses Violeta Dinova and Zhaklin Mihaylova; and anesthesia nurse Yuliyana Vatkova. In Shanghai, Prof. Dimitrov was accompanied by Dr. Stefka Petrova, who assisted in coordinating between the two teams.
Prof. Dobromir Dimitrov, MD, PhD, emphasized that this success is the result of the joint efforts of medical and technical specialists from both Bulgaria and China. The operation marks a significant step in the advancement of telesurgery and demonstrates the potential of robotic technologies to bridge geographical distances in medicine. Implementing such procedures requires a reliable communication infrastructure, rigorous safety protocols, and a qualified team present alongside the patient.
This intervention also serves as the launch of a research project focused on the practical development of telesurgery and international collaboration. Medical University – Pleven extends its special gratitude to St. Marina University Hospital (Pleven) and Medica University Hospital (Ruse) for their methodological and organizational support.
Through this high-tech intervention, Medical University – Pleven reaffirms its role in the advancement of innovative medicine and modern robotic surgery.
