Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Telesurgery in urology — advances, challenges and future directions

Nature Reviews Urology volume 22, pages 643–644 (2025)Cite this article

Subjects

Telesurgery, also known as remote surgery, has emerged as a revolutionary paradigm in urology. The use of telesurgery and its applications in urological procedures is characterized by lights and shadows that challenge surgeons and international surgical societies to regulate this promising field.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Rocco, B. et al. Insights from telesurgery expert conference on recent clinical experience and current status of remote surgery. J. Robot. Surg. 18, 240 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Moschovas, M. C., Dohler, M. & Patel, V. Telesurgery: challenges, ethical considerations, and opportunities in the robotic surgery era. Eur. Urol. Focus https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euf.2025.02.016 (2025).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Patel, V. et al. International multispecialty consensus statement and expert opinion of best practices in telesurgery. J. Robot. Surg. 19, 135 (2025).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Patel, V. et al. Technical and ethical considerations in telesurgery. J. Robot. Surg. 18, 40 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ferreira, S. V. et al. Feasibility and initial outcomes of telesurgery in urology: a systematic review of the literature. Int. Braz. J. Urol. 51, e20240494 (2025).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang, Y. et al. Safety and reliability of a robot-assisted laparoscopic telesurgery system: expanding indications in urological surgery. Eur. Urol. 85, 506–507 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rubio-Briones, J. & Gallioli, A. The key to humanitarian urology: do not import the surgeon, create trained local surgical teams. Nat. Rev. Urol. 22, 188–189 (2025).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Challacombe, B., Kavoussi, L., Patriciu, A., Stoianovici, D. & Dasgupta, P. Technology insight: telementoring and telesurgery in urology. Nat. Clin. Pract. Urol. 3, 611–617 (2006).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Collins, J. W. et al. Ethical implications of AI in robotic surgical training: a Delphi consensus statement. Eur. Urol. Focus 8, 613–622 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Basile, G. et al. Current standards for training in robot-assisted surgery and endourology: a systematic review. Eur. Urol. 86, 130–145 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Andrea Gallioli, Francesco Di Bello.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Fundació Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain

    Andrea Gallioli, Francesco Di Bello & Alberto Breda

  2. Department of Neurosciences, Science of Reproduction and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Francesco Di Bello

Authors
  1. Andrea Gallioli
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francesco Di Bello
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alberto Breda
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alberto Breda.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gallioli, A., Di Bello, F. & Breda, A. Telesurgery in urology — advances, challenges and future directions. Nat Rev Urol 22, 643–644 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-025-01045-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-025-01045-3

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing