The screen photo taken on June 9,2016 shows the live performance of robot-assisted retroperitoneal partial nephrectomy (RARPN) surgery by Zhang Xu, professor and director of the Department of Urology of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, at the European Congress of Challenges in Laparoscopy and Robotics in Lisbon, Portugal. (Xinhua/Zhang Yadong)
by Marina Watson Pelaez
LISBON, June 10 (Xinhua) -- A well-known Chinese surgeon performed here on Thursday a live laparoscopic and robotic surgery which received applause from the attendees at the European congress of "Challenges in Laparoscopy and Robotics."
Zhang Xu, chief of the Urology Department of the Chinese PLA General Hospital 301 in Beijing, is among some of the world's most prominent urologic surgeons attending the event.
During the three-day meeting they will perform 23 minimally invasive surgeries (MIS), including a right kidney tumor robotic retroperitoneal right partial nephrectomy by Zhang.
The surgeries were screened live in a conference room, and attendees could watch and hear the doctor's comments and answers to questions through their headphones.
Zhang explained that these kinds of surgeries avoided damaging tissue and would improve patients' quality of life.
He also told participants that he changed his strategy depending on which side the tumor was.
Most surgeons around the world didn't know how to use this innovative technique, he pointed out.
"I have my own technique," he told Xinhua after the live performance. "There are many, many advantages of this kind of procedure."
Some of these advantages include that it is easier to find certain tumours that are located posteriorly. Other benefits he mentioned are a shorter operation time and less blood loss.
Zhang Xu, professor and director of the Department of Urology of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, is ready in the operation room to perform live Robot-assisted retroperitoneal partial nephrectomy (RARPN) surgery in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 9, 2016. (Photo porvided by Zhang's team)
He was congratulated following the operation by several doctors including Alex Mottrie, from the Department of Urology O.L.V in Belgium.
"I am here to attend this conference because it is one of the biggest meetings in Europe in robotics. I think it is important in Europe for us to collaborate and have our noses in the same direction," Mottrie told Xinhua.
"We see different types of surgery with their own technique and that makes it so interesting," he added.
Mottrie explained that all the surgeries at the conference are minimum invasive and that Zhang's technique was standardized and very precise.
While the United States represents the single biggest market for Laparoscopic surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery, demand is rising rapidly in the Asia-Pacific.
Other urologists who attended the conference include Thierry Piechaud from France, Kris Maes from Lisbon and Aldo Bocciardi from Italy.
The event was organized in collaboration with Lisbon's Hospital Santa Maria.
