
A breakdown of the telesurgery demo on the Society of Robotic Surgical procedure. | Credit score: Intuitive
Intuitive Surgical demonstrated new telesurgery capabilities for its da Vinci 5 surgical robotic. The corporate remotely linked two surgeons to carry out a transatlantic demo on the Society of Robotic Surgical procedure (SRS) convention in Strasbourg, France.
Dr. Doug Stoddard (Peachtree Corners, Georgia) and Dr. Andrea Pakula (Strasbourg) linked remotely by Intuitive. The gap between them spanned greater than 4,000 miles. Collectively, utilizing a dual-console da Vinci 5 system, they carried out a telesurgery process on a sophisticated tissue mannequin developed by Intuitive to copy the conduct of stay tissue.
Stoddard had a console alongside the da Vinci 5 affected person care and tissue mannequin. Within the demo, he handed management of surgical devices forwards and backwards remotely to Pakula, positioned on the distant surgeon console. This included drive suggestions, enabling each surgeons to really feel the forces exerted on the tissue mannequin by the devices.
Intuitive stated its telesurgery software program on da Vinci 5 stays in improvement and investigational.
“Telesurgery is an space Intuitive has been thoughtfully innovating in for a few years,” stated Intuitive CEO Dave Rosa. “It’s a functionality that has the potential to enhance affected person entry to minimally invasive care, however its success is determined by cautious improvement in a number of areas. At Intuitive we’ve constructed robotic surgical know-how from the bottom up and our focus has all the time been affected person security and delivering actual worth—not know-how for know-how’s sake.
“Telesurgery is only one a part of our telecollaboration suite, which incorporates telementoring, teleproctoring, and twin console surgical procedure, that may assist medical groups to enhance outcomes and scale back the whole price of care. It’s thrilling to see progress, however we’re clear there’s nonetheless a protracted method to go.”
Iman Jeddi, senior VP and GM of Intuitive’s Multiport Platform, will likely be delivering the closing keynote at RoboBusiness, which takes place Oct. 15-16 in Santa Clara, Calif. and is produced by The Robotic Report. The keynote “Redefining the Way forward for Surgical Robotics” presents a uncommon look contained in the redesign and launch of the da Vinci 5, Intuitive’s subsequent era surgical robotics system.

Society of Robotic Surgical procedure attendees watching a stay telesurgery demo from Intuitive Surgical. | Credit score: Intuitive Surgical
With da Vinci 5, Intuitive targeted on implementing foundational computing energy to unlock a brand new era of capabilities—from drive suggestions and superior devices to machine imaginative and prescient that powers the surgeon’s interface and delivers deeper case insights. How does a market chief rethink its flagship system in a aggressive, maturing house? And the way do you design not only for the current, however for the way forward for digital surgical procedure? It is a dialog about self-discipline, platform considering, and staying forward in a subject that’s rapidly catching up.
Intuitive stated the primary transatlantic process highlighted the feasibility of telesurgery all the way in which again in 2001. Dubbed “Operation Lindbergh,” it additionally occurred between the U.S. and Strasbourg.
“Whereas not a brand new thought for Intuitive, telesurgery requires a high-performing community infrastructure and a robotic system designed for distant collaboration to achieve success and sustainable. Our focus is just not on being first however on being rigorous in constructing the infrastructure to help security, reliability, and constant use,” stated Brian Miller, Intuitive EVP and chief digital officer, who was an engineer supporting Operation Lindbergh.
This marks one other constructive improvement for Intuitive. da Vinci 5, Intuitive’s latest-generation robotic, gained FDA clearance final 12 months, then picked up CE mark final week. The corporate started its industrial rollout within the U.S. this 12 months. In Could, Intuitive additionally gained FDA clearance for a brand new indication for its da Vinci single port (SP) system.
Final week the corporate introduced FDA clearance for the most recent superior vitality instrumentation for da Vinci. It designed the totally wristed, superior bipolar electrosurgical instrument to seal, lower, grasp and dissect tissue. The corporate says it marks the primary FDA clearance for its superior vitality devices for the transection of lymphatic vessels.