Medtronic Unveils Upgraded Mazor X™ Eagle Spine Surgery Robotic Platform, Pioneering a New Era of Digital and Intelligent Orthopedics

May 28, 2024 18:28 CST Updated 18:28

Medtronic

Chronic Disease Medical Device and Therapy Developer

With the development of aging trends and changes in people's lifestyles, the number of spinal surgery patients continues to grow. According to Frost & Sullivan data, the number of patients with spinal diseases in ChinaOver 200 Million. This enormous figure undeniably presents the healthcare industry with unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Due to the presence of many crucial nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and other soft tissues surrounding the spine, any minor manipulation could have significant repercussions. The complexity and importance of spinal surgeries have earned them the reputation as the "dance on the tip of the knife" within the medical field.

In this highly challenging field, the emergence of each innovative product undoubtedly brings new possibilities to the industry. Innovations in orthopedic medical devices often revolutionarily address problems that previous diagnostic and treatment methods were unable to solve.

Amidst the rapid wave of technological advancements and contributions from multiple parties, the field of orthopedics is ushering in a new chapter of digital intelligence. Traditional orthopedic surgeries are gradually being replaced by emerging technologies that are intelligent, precise, and personalized, offering patients a safer and more efficient surgical experience. In this context,Professor Zhou Yue from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical UniversitySaid: "Thanks to the widespread clinical use of smart devices and the extensive application of digital technology, spinal surgery is entering an era led by digital intelligence. The integration of digital intelligence in spinal surgery, represented by surgical robots, will empower the development of minimally invasive spinal techniques and provide spinal surgery with new growth opportunities."

Recently, Medtronic unveiled the fully upgraded Mazor X™ Eagle Spine Surgical Robotic Integrated Platform and showcased its AiBLE™ Digital Orthopedic Ecosystem Solution, which combines a cutting-edge digital intelligent integrated platform, multiple advanced smart devices, and implants. This once again demonstrates its leading technological strength and innovative concepts, driving the advancement of digital intelligence in the orthopedic field.

Medtronic AiBLE™ Digital Intelligence Orthopedic Ecosystem Solution Unveiled

01

New Breakthrough in Orthopedic Surgical Robots, Industry Benchmark Advances Further

"One-step" screw placement is just the beginning; full visibility throughout the process is even more critical.

In recent years, with the widespread application of smart devices and the continuous advancement of digital technology, the utilization rate of robot-assisted surgical procedures, represented by surgical robots, has significantly increased. However, for medical device companies, achieving long-term development requires taking industry demand insights as the foundation and continuously innovating in research and development.

The complexity of spinal surgeries, the uneven distribution of medical resources in China, and the varying surgical capabilities of grassroots doctors have left a significant amount of clinical surgical needs unmet. This also drives medical device companies to continuously iterate and innovate, introducing more minimally invasive and efficient orthopedic surgical robots.

The complete process of spinal surgery includes eight steps: from making the surgical plan, locating the intervertebral space and establishing the pathway, to facetectomy, treating the intervertebral space, then cage implantation, screw placement, rod insertion, and finally X-ray verification. Each step of the surgery requires extremely precise operation; even a slight error may lead to a series of serious consequences.

Medtronic's Mazor X™ Eagle Spine Surgical Robotic Integrated Platform, centered on a digital intelligence platform and through technical parallelization, achieves full-process coverage of spinal surgeries based on "one-step" screw placement. In particular, it can simultaneously handle bony structures and soft tissues during surgery.

Preoperative Global Surgical Planning

Throughout the perioperative period, the Mazor X™ system not only assists doctors in developing personalized, comprehensive surgical plans but also helps record complete surgical data to better support the long-term postoperative treatment of patients with spinal deformities.

Full-process visualization

In terms of surgical operation, the Mazor X™ Eagle system, equipped with Medtronic's advanced navigation and visualization high-speed power drill system, can reduce operational errors caused by vertebral rotation during surgery, making screw placement more efficient and safer, improving surgical efficiency, with precision reaching 100%.^[1]`, and can achieve visual cutting of bony structures.`

Visualization of Intervertebral Space Management and Interbody Fusion Operation Module

In addition, the Mazor X™ system has newly integrated a visualized intervertebral space management and interbody fusion operation module, truly achieving step-by-step visualization throughout the entire spinal surgery process. Especially for long-segment surgeries that require complex surgical maneuvers, the real-time visualization function can reduce repeated verifications, conserve surgeons' energy during operations, alleviate their burden, and achieve more minimally invasive, stable, and less soft tissue damaging surgical outcomes.

02

Focusing on the Integration of Innovation Ecosystem, AiBLE™ Empowers the Future of Digital and Intelligent Orthopedics

Interconnectedness, Synergistic Benefits, Openness and Compatibility,

Painting a New Blueprint for the Digital Intelligence Ecosystem

Currently, most orthopedic smart devices on the market have limitations in terms of intelligence level and range of indications, and their development faces numerous challenges. With the growing demand for personalized medical care in China and the urgent need to improve the quality and efficiency of the healthcare system, how to implement digital and intelligent applications while meeting the needs of both hospital specialties and patients has become a direction for exploration and consideration across the industry.

From Accumulation to Breakthrough: The History of Medtronic Product Development

As an innovative "pioneer" in the field of spinal surgery robotics and navigation, Medtronic's pursuit of exploration and innovation has never ceased. From the debut of the first optical navigation system in the 1990s to the first spinal surgery performed under navigation in 1995; from active tracking to passive tracking, from single positioning to full surgical process coverage… In 2023, Medtronic also took the lead in introducing the unique "AiBLE™ Digital Intelligence Ecosystem" concept within the industry, which not only organically integrates various intelligent devices but also strives to create a multi-dimensional, innovative, and hybrid ecosystem that fosters collaboration between industry, academia, research, and medicine.For 30 years, Medtronic has been at the forefront of driving industry transformation, continuously iterating and upgrading its products and innovative concepts, while enriching and expanding the connotation and extension of the AiBLE™ Digital Ecosystem.

(Swipe left and right to view details of Medtronic product development?)

"Leading New Life"—The Invention of Infrared Optical Visualization Technology

"Leading Innovation"—O-Arm 3D ImagingRevolutionizing Navigation Visualization Technology

"Eye-Opening" – The Pioneer and Leader of Global Spine Surgery Robotics

"Lasting Innovation" – A Wealth of Implants Driving Spinal Technology Advancement

"Ever-Evolving Growth"—AiBLE™ Digital Intelligence Ecosystem Ushers in a New Era

Medtronic’s newly released AiBLE™ Integrated Digital and Intelligent Orthopedic Solution continues the "ecosystem" concept, integrating the Mazor X™ Eagle Spine Surgical Robot, internal implants, surgical tools, and smart devices into the spinal surgery process. At the same time, it actively builds a platform for industry-academia-research-medical cooperation, engaging in deep collaboration with clinical experts, medical institutions, and industry partners to jointly develop cutting-edge technologies such as intelligent operating room coordination, specialized disease big data analysis, AI-assisted diagnosis, and medical information technology, comprehensively empowering orthopedics to advance towards digitalization and intelligence.

Rooted in China for 35 years, Medtronic has provided specialized procedural education and training for clinical practitioners, as well as opportunities for the exchange of cutting-edge surgical techniques, through platforms such as the Mazor "X Academy" and two innovation centers in Chengdu and Shanghai. This has comprehensively enhanced the clinical application level of robotic-assisted spinal surgery. At the same time, Medtronic actively integrates into the local ecosystem, basing itself at the Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park. It is committed to stimulating more innovative capabilities and service capacity through extensive and in-depth collaborations, bringing localized solutions to Chinese patients.

"This year marks the 35th anniversary of Medtronic's partnership with China. We have always been closely aligned with the needs of Chinese patients and doctors, committed to bringing more integrated and intelligent healthcare innovations to patients in China."Yu Jing, Vice President of Medtronic and General Manager of China Orthopedics, Neurosurgery & Surgical BusinessSaid, "Intelligentization is an inherent requirement and key focus for promoting the high-quality development of orthopedics in China. The blueprint has been drawn, but realizing it requires solid efforts. Medtronic will continue to deeply cultivate local needs, collaborate with industry, academia, research, and medical forces, fully leverage the innovative leadership of the AiBLE™ intelligent ecosystem in the healthcare field, and drive leapfrog development in orthopedics, optimization and upgrading of the industrial chain, and overall productivity enhancement.”

"Ecologization" will be the core to empower the development of orthopedics in China. In the future, the development of the orthopedic field may see more disruptive innovations, such as customized tools and technologies that meet clinical needs, the advent of more intelligent products, and the integration of robotic technology with neuroelectrophysiological technology. The future is here, and it holds great promise!

References:

1. Alluri, R. K., Avrumova, F., Sivaganesan, A., Vaishnav, A. S., Lebl, D. R., & Qureshi, S. A. (2021). Overview of robotic technology in spine surgery. HSS Journal®: The Musculoskeletal Journal of Hospital for Special Surgery, 17(3), 308–316. https://doi.org/10.1177/15563316211026647

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