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Interview Synopsis

Intuitive Surgical Da Vinci's vs competitors in the surgical robotic market – customer assessment

  • Public Equity
  • Healthcare
  • North America

Surgical robots have been a game-changer, explained a surgical consultant from North Bristol NHS Trust in an Interview with Third Bridge Forum. “Our hospital couldn’t run if it were to try and maintain the same number of surgeries we do, without the robot.”

Surgical robots stem from industrial instruments and were initially used in the cardiac specialty, but “they quickly found it not that beneficial at all”. Instead, it was found to be much more suited to urology and has since gained traction in a number of departments: “Gynaecology have started using it more and more. Colorectal, upper GI, particularly for tricky bariatric, so obesity surgery and… major head and neck surgery.”

The expert added: “It shouldn’t be called a robot. None of them should be. That’s the first thing to say. The definition of a robot means that it does something on its own. There’s not a single thing that any of the platforms do on their own.” These systems consist of an octopus-like structure that attaches to the patient, the specialist commented, with a “game console” monitor that allows the surgeon to use the instruments.

There are myriad benefits, including lessening the physical burden on surgeons and perhaps even extending their career as a result. It has also resulted in a “dramatic reduction” in hospital stays. On a similar note, “the other aspect is our intensive care usage, so with the lack of surgical insults, with the lack of bleeding, with the predictability of post-operative recovery and also the pain relief requirements, our use of such an extremely expensive resource has gone right down.” 

The Interview also covered CMR Surgical’s competing product, pricing and uptake of Da Vinci’s Robot.

To access all the human insights from Third Bridge Forum’s Intuitive Surgical Da Vinci’s vs competitors in the surgical robotic market – customer assessment Interview, click here to view the full transcript.

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The information used in compiling this document has been obtained by Third Bridge from experts participating in Forum Interviews. Third Bridge does not warrant the accuracy of the information and has not independently verified it. It should not be regarded as a trade recommendation or form the basis of any investment decision.

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