For those surgeons who missed the recent webinar on the future of surgical robotics, now’s your chance to catch up on the latest insights from the Talk Surgery series by Surgery International.
Hosted by world-renowned surgeon and digital health innovator Professor Shafi Ahmed, Surgical Robotics: What Next? considered the key themes shaping the next era of robotic-assisted surgery, including automation and AI assistance decision-making, cross-technology integration and accessibility in emerging markets. Professor Ahmed promised it would ‘provide a glimpse into the future’.
Guest speakers were:
• Mark Slack – Co-founder and chief medical officer at CMR Surgical
• Stuart Simpson – President and CEO of THINK Surgical
• Rob Morgan – VP Medical, Sagentia Innovation
• Dr Rebecca Cleary – Co-founder and CTO at Nami Surgical.
Professor Ahmed began the discussion by suggesting that 2025 will herald the era of digital surgery. He believes that integrating AI-driven pathways and analytics to evaluate performance is crucial for a connected healthcare system. He stated that the operating room is expected to experience significant transformations in the coming year, with robotics playing a crucial role.
The first guest to speak was Mark Slack, who explained that since its founding in 2014, CMR Surgical has become the second-largest soft tissue robotics company. He said only early adopters and innovators initially used surgical robots, but now even more minor, non-academic hospitals are showing interest, signalling widespread adoption.
He cited evidence demonstrating that robotic surgery can surpass advanced laparoscopic techniques, particularly in training, and that robotic platforms significantly diminish the learning curve for intricate tasks like suturing, significantly improving training efficiency.
Mark expects costs to decrease as adoption increases, making robotic surgery more accessible. He believes it represents the future and would prefer it over traditional laparoscopy.
Second to speak was Rob Morgan, who highlighted that some market segments in surgical robotics are maturing, such as soft tissue surgery (CMR’s adversity system) and orthopaedic surgery (Think Surgical’s T Mini system). At the same time, there is increasing diversification in robotic systems, with specialised applications emerging.
He noted that new areas of robotic-assisted surgery include ophthalmic surgery, structural heart thrombectomy, stroke treatment, and percutaneous probe delivery for interventional oncology. He added that the use of these specialised robotic systems will grow significantly in the next five years.
Traditionally, robotics has been utilised in neurology, gynaecology and colorectal surgery, but now more specialties are embracing robotic solutions. He said that the industry has shifted from being dominated by major providers to start-ups entering the field.
Dr Rebecca Cleary discussed the importance of diversification in surgical tools, emphasising that all tools available in open and laparoscopic surgery should also be accessible in robotic surgery. Her company, NAMI, has miniaturised ultrasonic technology to fit on the distal end of a wristed joint, enhancing surgical precision. The aim is to contribute to surgical robotics by providing data to help surgeons improve patient outcomes.
The company’s key innovation is its intellectual property, specifically its design of ultrasonics based on geometry. They have significantly reduced the size of traditional ultrasonic systems from 30-40cm to just 5cm in length and 6mm in diameter, making them suitable for robotic use. They anticipate deploying this technology within three years.
In his opening statement, Stuart Simpson agreed with Dr. Cleary that miniaturisation is important for advancing smart instruments and robotic systems, particularly in orthopaedic surgery.
He noted the rapid adoption of robotics in total knee replacement due to the complexity of the knee joint. Around 20% of knee replacements in the US are now performed with robotic assistance, a trend expected to grow.
He believes that current robotic systems are large and disruptive in operating rooms. To address this, his company, THINK Surgical, has developed the T Mini in collaboration with Sagentia. This handheld, wireless robotic device performs the same functions as traditional large robots but in a compact seven-pound form, making it more ergonomic and easier to integrate into surgical workflows.
He anticipates further innovations in robotics, making them smaller, more cost-effective, and easier to adopt across various procedures.
Additionally, Stuart emphasises the potential of AI and data analytics in surgery, where robotic systems could collect and analyse performance data to enhance future surgical outcomes.
Other topics discussed during the webinar included:
• Data analytics in robotics and the necessity of future-proofing the profession by gathering data for future use.
• Enhancing efficiency in operating room workflows
• Greater efficiency in the surgical procedure
• The diversification of systems
• Telesurgery
• Sustainability
• The barriers to integrating various robotic systems and the philosophy of autonomous robotic surgery.
• Whether robotics will eliminate traditional open surgery and how it will assimilate into conventional training programmes.
• Democratisation and what can be done to ensure that these robotic systems are made globally available (and affordable).
The webinar, hosted by Surgery International in collaboration with The Confederation of Surgery (CBS), CMR Surgical and Orascoptic, was the latest in a Talk Surgery educational series.
You can watch the entire session here.
