Dive Brief:
- Intuitive Surgical unveiled new software capabilities for the da Vinci 5 robot that give surgeons more information, such as a replay of key moments in a procedure. Surgeons can review the video as the procedure is ongoing without removing their head from the console.
- Another new feature is a gauge displaying measurements of the force applied to the patient’s tissue by instruments. Intuitive’s force feedback technology already allows surgeons to sense the instrument pressure applied to tissue.
- The updates, which received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration, are the first in a planned series of new system capabilities designed to improve patient outcomes and surgeon and hospital efficiency, the company said Friday.
Dive Insight:
Intuitive began a limited rollout of da Vinci 5 after receiving FDA clearance for the newest version of its flagship platform in March 2024.
The da Vinci 5 brought improvements to earlier systems, including force feedback sensing, better console ergonomics, a smaller physical footprint in the operating room and greater computing power. With a full launch of the system now underway, the company is adding more capabilities to improve the platform based on early customer feedback.
The robot can now show a measure of the force applied to tissue during surgery through a gauge that works like a speedometer.
Andrea Pakula, medical director of robotic surgery at Adventist Health, said surgeons at the health system’s hospital in Simi Valley, California, who have used force feedback for the past year and a half are consistently applying less force to tissue during procedures. The additional information provided by the new visual indicator could support “gentler, safer surgery,” Pakula said in Intuitive’s statement.
The video replay feature, appearing in the surgeon’s field of view in the console, is designed to inform decision-making in real time, facilitate collaborative review between dual consoles, and improve procedural safety and efficiency, Intuitive said.
A third update called Network CCM allows new software features, such as the force gauge and in-console video replay, to be enabled remotely, which is intended to reduce administrative burden.
Intuitive introduced the new features at an annual conference for healthcare leaders called Intuitive 360.
