Dr. Patricia Tejedor, colorectal surgeon at the Quenet Torrent Institute, joined the studio expert panel of the 2nd Robotic Surgery On Air Global Event, an educational initiative that broadcasts live robotic surgery from operating rooms across the world, connecting international specialists for real-time discussion.
An outstanding experience in global robotic surgery education
Participating in the 2nd Robotic Surgery On Air Global Event was an outstanding experience in global robotic surgery education. I had the privilege of being part of the expert studio panel alongside Prof. Bill Heald, Prof. Jim Khan and Irshad Shaikh, providing live commentary and discussion on robotic procedures performed in real time.
What made the event unique was the ability to connect surgeons worldwide through cutting-edge robotic platforms, interactive case-based learning and instant expert exchange. A fantastic example of how global surgery continues to evolve beyond borders.
Live cases broadcast from 5 countries
Throughout the day, complex robotic colorectal and oncological cases were broadcast live and pre-recorded from five countries, showcasing the technical diversity and quality of the participating teams:
- Sydney, Australia · Prof. Stephen Pillinger and Dr. Assad Zahid
- Kyoto, Japan · Dr. Yoshiro Itatani
- Porto, Portugal · Dr. Pedro Nuno Brandão
- London, UK · Dr. Paul I. Stanciu
- Portsmouth, UK · Dr. Mike Glaysher
- Baltimore, USA · Dr. Shawki Sherief
Scientific direction and demonstrators
The initiative was led by Prof. Jim Khan as Scientific Director of the programme, with a studio expert panel formed by Prof. Bill Heald (world reference in colorectal surgery and the father of TME), Prof. Irshad Shaikh, Mr. Guglielmo Niccolò Piozzi and Dr. Patricia Tejedor.
Each procedure was accompanied by live multidisciplinary technical discussion: anatomy, planning, intraoperative complication management, critical decisions and selection of the optimal robotic technique. This interactivity turns the broadcast into a real educational tool, not just a demonstration.
The role of robotic surgery in digestive oncology
Events such as Robotic Surgery On Air consolidate robotic colorectal surgery as one of the most promising techniques in surgical oncology. Its advantages over open surgery and, in selected cases, over laparoscopic surgery include:
- High-definition 3D vision and magnification that enhance dissection along fine anatomical planes.
- Instrument articulation with 7 degrees of freedom that simplifies work in narrow pelvic spaces (low rectal cancer surgery).
- Reduced intraoperative bleeding and shorter hospital stay reported in recent meta-analyses.
- More stable learning curve after initial mastery, especially in robotic TME for rectal cancer.
- Better functional preservation (urinary and sexual function) in oncological pelvic dissection, particularly during pelvic exenteration.
Commitment to international surgical education
Dr. Tejedor's participation in this forum reflects the ongoing commitment of Quenet Torrent Institute to excellence in surgical education and international knowledge exchange. Beyond the personal benefit for each participating surgeon, these events raise global surgical standards and accelerate the adoption of best practice in centres worldwide · a philosophy that also guides our colorectal cancer units and our advanced surgical oncology programmes.
Special thanks to technical partners Intuitive and Medtronic Robotic-Assisted Surgery, as well as DigiMed and the technical teams in the operating rooms across all participating sites, whose collaboration makes a seamless global broadcast possible.
Further information
All sessions of the programme will be available on demand in the Robotic Surgery On Air video library: robotic-surgeryonair.com.