From 10mm to 8mm: Chinese Surgical Robots Gain Sharper Vision with New Endoscope

Shrinking an endoscope from 10mm to 8mm is more than just a two-millimeter reduction. This change fundamentally affects whether surgical robots can be truly 'universal port' devices.

This two-millimeter adjustment may seem small, but it determines the robot's ability to operate through standard ports, impacting surgical flexibility and patient outcomes.

On August 6, domestic company Tuge Medical, under Jianshi Healthcare, received EU CE certification for its self-developed 8mm 3D+4K+fluorescence endoscope. Two months earlier, it had already been approved by China's NMPA for domestic sales, marking a milestone in China's surgical robot supply chain in the core 'vision system' arena.

Eight millimeters is a critical threshold in surgical robotics. Previously, 10mm endoscopes were too large to pass through standard 8mm instrument ports, forcing surgeons to create extra incisions, limiting viewing angles, and requiring frequent patient repositioning, which prolonged operations. The new 8mm endoscope enables 'universal port access,' allowing surgeons to switch viewing angles on demand without repositioning or re-docking, resulting in less trauma, lower risk, and higher efficiency.

Shrinking from 10mm to 8mm is a challenging systems engineering feat, according to Wang Yangang, CTO of Jianshi Healthcare. Fitting dual camera systems into such a narrow space demands solving heat dissipation, sealing, waterproofing, and anti-fogging issues. Even micrometer-level errors could cause leaks, making the integration into a stable, reliable medical system the real challenge—not the materials.

The maturation of domestic supply chains has been crucial. High-precision optical prisms once imported are now reliably supplied by local vendors, and key components like image sensors are being localized. Leveraging this, Tuge Medical has chosen to open its 8mm endoscope to other companies, positioning itself as a visual system supplier for the entire industry rather than building a closed ecosystem. 'Surgical robot companies are better at the 'hands,' and we want to perfect the 'eyes,'" adds Wang.