Robot assists in world's first artificial blood vessel procedure

A hospital in China has successfully performed tumour surgery on a patient with pancreatic cancer taking assistance of a robot.

The hospital claimed Saturday's surgery as the world's first artificial blood vessel reconstruction involving the robotic device after searching through a widely-used global medical database, Xinhua reported.

During the surgery, the robot, controlled by the doctor, found the portal vein connected to the pancreas, which was also cancerous and needed to be removed.

The doctor inserted one robotic arm through a small hole in the 57-year-old patient's body to hold the artificial vessel steady while operating with the help of another arm to stitch.

The patient's abdomen was opened for the operation, Bie said adding: "But the robot only left a few needle holes, which is more conducive to recovery."