Medtronic Accelerates Soft Tissue Robotics Push with Strategic Boston Hub and Hugo RAS Expansion

Source: MedRobot; Editor: Sophia

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One of the world's largest medical device manufacturers, Medtronic, has chosen this timeBetting on Boston — One of the Largest Biotechnology Hubs in the World。

Medtronic’s recent interest in Boston is not related to pharmaceuticals but rather the hope of leveraging the city’s numerous doctors, hospitals, and universities to develop and promote its own surgical robot technology.Especially with the assistance of the Hugo surgical robot and artificial intelligence, completely transforming the standard of the surgical industry.

In a July demonstration, Medtronic showcased how its Hugo platform performs surgeries.

Last year, Medtronic opened a 100,000-square-foot factory near the Boston Seaport District.As the headquarters of Hugo's surgical robot business, the company employs about 350 people locally.

In addition to research, development, and product testing, Medtronic also uses the space to introduce the Hugo surgical robot to surgeons and train them on how to use the technology.

Medtronic has been operating in Boston's Seaport District for decades. It has a presence in the Seaport area.2,400Employees, in the New England region, own5,600Employee.

Mike Marinaro, President of Medtronic's Medical Surgical Portfolio and Surgical Division, stated,For its surgical robotics business, Medtronic needs a larger space,In order to recruit talent and establish partnerships with nearby research universities.

Brian Johnson, chairman of the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council, said that Medtronic's decision would greatly boost the development of medical technology in the region. Although the state has been home to many medical device companies, these companies mainly focus on production, manufacturing, and distribution.It is quite rare for a large medical technology company like Medtronic to establish its main R&D headquarters here.

Modular Design:Hugo Robot Adopts Modular Robotic Arm Design, Allowing for Easy Movement, Sharing, and Deployment Across the Hospital, Maximizing Equipment Utilization. This Design Enables the Robot to be Flexibly Applied in Different Surgical Environments, Offering More Options to Surgeons.

Technology Sharing:Hugo Surgical Robot Offers an Independent Laparoscopic Solution with Advanced Visualization Capabilities.

It integrates the advanced technologies of traditional laparoscopic surgery and open surgery, includingStorz endoscope, Valleylab electrosurgical system, and Touch Surgery analysis system.This comprehensive design allows doctors to more flexibly choose technical tools suitable for specific situations.

Video Recording:Hugo Robot Offers Secure, Seamless Video Recording Options, Allowing Surgeons to Review and Analyze Surgical Videos Anytime, Anywhere, Providing Medical Teams with More Opportunities for Learning and Optimization.

Optional Functions: Hugo Robot Aims to Reduce Total Cost of Ownership and Optimize Robot Utilization. Its design takes into account the actual needs of medical institutions, enabling doctorsCan choose the functions that suit their actual situation, providing efficient care while reducing operating costs.

Intelligent Recognition:The Hugo™ RAS system is able to identify and mark critical anatomical structures, providing information that users may not be able to observe directly. This intelligent recognition feature makes the surgical process more precise and controllable, reduces potential human errors, and enhances the success rate of surgeries.

Teaching Assistant:Through the integration of digital surgery and artificial intelligence, the Hugo™ RAS system provides a "driver-assist" function, allowing doctors with limited experience in specific surgeries to receive guidance and recommendations from top experts, thereby improving the quality and safety of the procedures.

# Commercialization Process

• In June 2021, the Hugo RAS system completed the world's first patient surgery using this system in Chile — a robotic prostatectomy.

• In October 2021, the Medtronic Hugo RAS system received EU CE certification,Approved for sale in Europe, used in urology and gynecology surgeries. This is an important milestone in the commercialization of the Hugo RAS system.

  In the fourth quarter of 2021, Medtronic had already started selling the Hugo RAS system outside the United States and generating revenue.

• In 2022, Medtronic plans to conduct urological surgery trials using the Hugo RAS system in the United States, with an investment of at least 400 million US dollars.

• In June 2023, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, UK, became the first medical institution in the UK to introduce the Medtronic Hugo surgical robot.

• In October 2023, at the 6th CIIE, Medtronic announced that the Hugo RAS robotic-assisted surgery system had established a training center in Taiwan, China.Provide precision minimally invasive surgery training for surgeons in the Asia-Pacific region and locally.

• On May 24, 2024, Medtronic announced the launch of additional clinical studies for its Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system to expand its indications.Hernia Repair SurgeryAndGynecological Field。

  The company stated that the research was to support the submission of the Hugo RAS system for FDA approval.

Medtronic is a global leading medical technology company, founded in 1949, with its headquarters located in Minnesota, USA. Medtronic's main product lines areThe four major businesses of cardiovascular, surgery and critical care, neuroscience, and diabetes cover a product and service system in the treatment areas of arrhythmia, heart failure, cardiac intervention, heart valve replacement, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, urinary system diseases, spinal diseases, neurological diseases, and ENT.

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