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fecting point-of-use devices. Imagine a contraption the size of a toaster oven that
uses LED lights to disinfect cellphones, stethoscopes and other handheld items
that surgeons and staff carry from one patient to another.
• Malignancy detection. Fluorescence imaging technologies used by ophthal-
mologists and cardiologists for viewing blood vessels are transforming endo-
scopic surgery. Indocyanine green imaging helps endoscopists distinguish malig-
nant tumors from healthy tissue for more effective surgical dissection.
• Robotics. Until recently, robotic-assisted surgery has been used mainly for a
limited number of surgical procedures — hysterectomy and prostatectomy, for
example — and a single player has dominated the market. We're now seeing
new players come onto the scene, particularly for orthopedic procedures such
as hip and knee surgery, and we're also seeing movement surrounding the use
of robotic systems for more general abdominal procedures. But the robotics
market has expanded beyond the systems themselves to include complementa-
ry devices. One example is an OR table that communicates with and works in
concert with a robotic system. As the table moves to reposition the patient for a
complex procedure, the robotic arms automatically reposition, without disrupt-
ing workflow.
• Wait and see. New robotic systems for orthopedic cases are still emerging or
are in the early adoption phase. Some orthopedic surgeons swear by them, but we
haven't yet seen a whole lot of evidence on their efficacy or effects on patient out-
comes. Considering the high price point of $1 million or more, there's a debate as
to whether these systems are worth the investment. That said, I think we're going
to see more and more facilities evaluate their prospects in surgical robotics as the
price points continue to come down and more systems come onto the market.
OSM
