New age robots vie for space in operating room

Within five years, one in three US surgeries – more than double current levels - is expected to be performed with robotic systems, with surgeons sitting at computer consoles guiding mechanical arms. 

Companies developing new robots also plan to expand their use in India, China and other emerging markets. Robotic surgery has been long dominated by pioneer Intuitive Surgical Inc, which has more than 3,600 of its da Vinci machines in hospitals worldwide and said last week the number of procedures that used them jumped by 16 per cent in the second quarter compared to a year earlier. 

The anticipated future growth – and perceived weaknesses of the current generation of robots - is attracting deep-pocketed rivals, including Medtronic Inc and a start-up backed by Johnson & Johnson and Google.

Developers of the next wave aim to make the robots less expensive, more nimble and capable of performing more types of procedures, company executives and surgeons told Reuters. 

Although surgical robots run an average of 1.5 million dollars and entail ongoing maintenance expenses, insurers pay no more for surgeries that utilize the systems than for other types of minimally-invasive procedures, such as laparoscopy. 

Still, most top US hospitals for cancer treatment, urology, gynaecology and gastroenterology have made the investment.