Robotic surgery used to be the stuff of science fiction movies. Not anymore. They are becoming more and more popular every day. Although fully autonomous operations are not yet a reality in the medical sector, the field is developing rapidly. Robotics is now being used to empower surgeons to perform more precise, safe and effective surgeries. That’s why they are called robotic surgeries. Intuitive Surgery Inc. NASDAQ: ISRG has been at the forefront of robotic surgery since 2001 with its da Vinci system. Their machines provide surgeons with precise, shaky-free robotics, enhanced vision and lighting to perform near-flawless outpatient surgeries. Two companies are expanding their robotic surgery portfolios to challenge Intuitive Surgical’s dominance.
Medtronic: Leading medical device manufacturer introduces robotics
Medtronic today
(As of 12/13/2024 ET)
- 52 week range
- $75.96
▼
$92.68
- Dividend yield
- 3.39%
- P/E ratio
- 25.22
- Target price
- $95.27
Medtronic PLC New York Stock Exchange: MDT is synonymous with medical devices for the treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, pain disorders and pulmonary diseases. The company is known for its extensive line of pacemakers, defibrillators, MRI-compatible devices and patient monitoring solutions.
Medtronic has built a complete infrastructure around robotic surgery through its Touch Surgery Ecosystem, which is a set of tools aimed at improving robotic surgery adoption, training and procedures.
Touch Surgery Enterprise is an AI-powered platform that provides performance insights and analysis of surgical videos captured during surgical procedures. It also handles live broadcasts of operations and simulations and has full access to mobile apps.
Hugo and Mazor X robotic surgical systems
The company has developed Hugo Robotic Assisted Surgery (RAS) systems for surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures. Unlike Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci system, this system is portable because it can be moved between operating rooms and is small enough for storage. Da Vinci systems require a special surgical kit. Hugo provides 3D HD vision and includes secure video recording. However, the system has not yet been approved by the FDA for use in patients.
Medtronic acquired Mazor Robotics in 2018 for $1.64 billion to acquire the Mazor X robotic guidance system for spine surgery. It helps surgeons plan and perform complex spine surgeries such as spinal fusion, degenerative disc disease (DDD), spinal tumors and scoliosis with greater precision and accuracy. Medtronic will submit its Hugo RAS system to the FDA for urology indications in early 2025.
Zimmer Biomet: Robot Rise meets Terminator
Zimmer Biomet today
Zimmer Biomet
(As of 12/13/2024 ET)
- 52 week range
- $101.47
▼
$133.90
- Dividend yield
- 0.90%
- P/E ratio
- 20.29
- Target price
- $122.83
Medical technology company Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. New York Stock Exchange: ZBH develops and manufactures musculoskeletal and orthopedic products, including knee and hip replacement implants and systems. Zimmer also appointed Arnold Schwarzenegger as his director of the movement. Its flagship robotic surgical system is called ROSA. It is a single-arm robotic system specifically designed for knee, shoulder, partial knee and hip surgeries. ROSA ONE Brain is a robotic neurosurgical system. The company also developed Walter, a robotic system for spine surgery.
ROSA robotic surgical systems are FDA approved
ROSA robotic systems are designed to help surgeons perform minimally invasive procedures with greater precision and accuracy. They allow smaller incisions to be made with less tissue damage, which can lead to faster recovery and fewer complications. Each system provides real-time data during surgery to aid decision making and ultimately improve outcomes. All ROSA robotic systems are FDA approved. The company recently acquired OrthoGrid Systems, which develops artificial intelligence-based surgical guidance systems for total hip replacement. The company plans to launch three new indications over the next 18 to 36 months for its ROSA franchise.
Zimmer Biomet CEO Ivan Tornos commented: “Finally, Zimmer Biomet is the only orthopedic company offering a robotic system without a CT scan in ROSA. Through our recent partnership with THINK Surgical, we have also brought a smaller portable CT scanner system to Tamini. So, when it comes to navigation and robotics, we have the most comprehensive set of solutions.
In addition to all this, we expect to launch new robotic applications with and without CT capabilities, as well as other differentiated functions, in the short to medium term.”
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