The IURES 2026 Conference, organized by the International Urological Research Society (IURES) in Didim, in Turkey’s Aydın Province, discussed an accelerating trend toward integrating artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced imaging into urological surgery. Presentations focused on personalized surgical planning, intraoperative decision support and the possibility of performing surgery remotely.
Conference chairman Professor Burak Turna said fifth-generation robotic surgery goes beyond improving the movement of the surgeon’s hand, combining advanced imaging, surgical precision, haptic feedback and broader use of surgical data. He added that analyzing surgical images, anatomical structures and large quantities of data could in the future provide surgeons with an intraoperative decision-support tool.
From the Assistive Robot to Preoperative Planning
Discussions addressed focal treatments for prostate cancer, which target affected areas while seeking to preserve healthy tissue and surrounding anatomical structures in suitable patients. Professor Emre Huri also explained the concept of a “digital twin” of the patient, a three-dimensional model created from actual radiological images, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, after DICOM files are processed and organs, vessels and tumors are algorithmically separated.
This model allows the surgeon to examine the tumor’s relationship with blood vessels from multiple angles and virtually simulate surgical steps using virtual reality technologies. According to Huri’s presentation, simulation can help test cutting paths and the handling of tissues before touching the patient, with the aim of reducing surprises during surgery, without implying a guarantee of a specific clinical outcome.
Remote Surgery and Requirements for Expansion
Professor Murat Benbay said the next phase in urology includes remote surgery, single-port surgery, robotics and artificial-intelligence-supported decision-support systems. The importance of remote surgery lies in the possibility of bringing the expertise of advanced centers to areas lacking robotic surgical expertise, which could expand access to specialized treatment.
However, Benbay noted that the widespread clinical use of this technology requires addressing data security, defining responsibilities and providing the necessary infrastructure. These points are not minor operational details; they determine who is authorized to intervene, how patient data are protected and who bears responsibility when a connection or system failure occurs.
What Is Changing in Practice?
The framework presented at the conference is moving surgery from greater reliance on judgment and immediate experience toward a process supported by three-dimensional models, data and intraoperative analysis. Future concepts include systems that recognize anatomical structures, alert the surgeon when approaching critical areas and respond to voice commands.
Nevertheless, Professor Fatih Atug stressed that the robot does not perform the operation by itself, and that the surgeon’s experience, patient selection and the technique used are decisive factors. According to his presentation, the benefits of robotic surgery may include smaller incisions, less blood loss, a reduced need for blood transfusions and shorter hospital stays compared with open surgery, but these advantages cannot be attributed to the device alone.
The conference also addressed the role of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate in evaluating patients with elevated PSA, identifying suspicious areas and guiding fusion biopsies combining magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. The application of these tools remains linked to patient selection, image interpretation and the expertise of medical teams, while the source provided no clinical data or quantitative comparative results proving the overall superiority of these technologies.