ARTICLE SUMMARY:
Intuitive Surgical pioneered robotically-enabled surgery and for years largely had the field to itself, in the process building one of the most successful medtech companies ever. But now, as the company nears its 25th anniversary, robotics is facing major changes, with both increased competition and the incorporation of advanced analytics. Can this long-time leader stay ahead of the game? Part 1 of a 2-part feature.
Given all of the buzz around robotically-assisted surgery today, it’s easy to forget that for a long time, the field was filled with companies that either struggled—think of Mako Surgical in the years before its acquisition by Stryker Corp.—or failed outright. Part of that, certainly, was due to the difficulty of developing the technology.
