By Devon Philpott and Kamran Zamanian, iData Research
In the medical industry, adoption of new cutting-edge technology is slow compared to other industries, such as the automotive industry.1 Computer-assisted and robotic-assisted surgery (CAS and RAS, respectively) have been around for decades, yet a small percentage of procedures performed take advantage of the innovative solutions available on the market today. In coming years, the number of procedures using robotics and surgical navigation is predicted to increase at a double-digit rate year over year to reach over 6 million procedures by 2028.2 This rise in CAS and RAS can be attributed to the predicted increase in the utilization of navigation systems and robotic devices as more companies launch new or next-generation systems for assisted surgery.
Figure 1: Number of procedures using navigation systems and robotics in the United States from 2018-2028. Access iData’s U.S. robotics and surgical navigation market report to view more granular data.
Reasons For Slow CAS And RAS Adoption
Some argue that using CAS and RAS is not worth the time and monetary investment, as using this technology often increases procedure planning time and reduces the number of procedures a facility can complete in a certain time frame.3 However, more studies have come out in recent years that highlight the clinical benefits of using CAS or RAS compared to unassisted surgeries. For example, it has been found that using navigation for total hip arthroplasty (THA) procedures significantly reduces hip dislocations and the need for future revision surgeries compared to unguided surgeries.4,5 Other studies have shown that using RAS can drastically reduce recovery times, allowing patients to spend less time in the hospital post-operation.6,7 As more studies like this are published, adoption of CAS and RAS is expected to increase.
An exception to these doubts is neurosurgery procedures; it is considered to be the standard of care that neurosurgeries use a navigation system. Because of this, the neurosurgery navigation system market has the highest adoption rate and poses a challenge to companies attempting to penetrate the market by offering state-of-the-art robotic systems. In addition to the slow adoption of new technology, robotic solutions tend to be much more costly than navigation devices, some of which have an average selling price (ASP) upwards of $1 million for one robot while navigation systems tend to be a fraction of that cost.2 However, some companies, such as Brainlab, have developed affordable robotic solutions with pricing that is competitive with navigation systems on the market.
Figure 2: Comparison of average selling price (ASP) for navigation systems and robots for procedure types that have both applications. Access iData’s U.S. robotics and surgical navigation market report to view more granular data.
Recent Advancements To CAS And RAS
Since 2018, the FDA has made several approvals in the U.S. robotics and surgical navigation market, including clearances for devices as well as updated software modules. The companies that were granted clearance for their navigation and robotics products include, but are not limited to, Auris Health, Brainlab, DePuy Synthes, Intuitive Surgical, Medtronic, Smith & Nephew, and Zimmer Biomet. These companies are staying up to date with market trends as they have all developed robots for procedures with the highest compound annual growth rate over the forecast period, according to the iData Research report.2 Brainlab, Medtronic, and Zimmer Biomet have come up with robotic solutions for neurosurgery, while DePuy Synthes, Smith & Nephew, and Zimmer Biomet have developed …….