A medical robotic system (10) for performing medical procedures comprises a robot manipulator (14) for robotically assisted handling of a medical instrument, in particular a laparoscopic surgery instrument (18). The robot manipulator (14) comprises a base (24); a manipulator arm (26) with an essentially vertical part (27) supported by the base and with an essentially horizontal part (29) supported by the vertical part (27); a manipulator wrist (28) supported by the manipulator arm (26); and an effector unit (30) supported by the manipulator wrist and configured for holding a medical instrument. The manipulator arm (26) has a cylindrical PRP kinematic configuration for positioning the manipulator wrist. More particularly, the PRP kinematic configuration has the following joint sequence: a prismatic (P) first joint (J1) for varying the height of the vertical part (27) by providing a translational degree of freedom along an essentially vertical axis, a revolute (R) second joint (J2) for varying the rotational angle between the vertical part (27) and the horizontal part (29) by providing a rotational degree of freedom about an essentially vertical axis, and a prismatic (P) third joint (J3) for varying the reach of the horizontal part by providing a translational degree of freedom along an essentially horizontal axis.