Johnson & Johnson’s MedTech division said Tuesday it plans to submit an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration next year to start clinical trials of its general surgery robot.
Ottava, the company’s surgical robot, is designed to create space in the operating room and simplify complex workflows, Johnson & Johnson MedTech said.
The company said the robot incorporates four robotic arms into a standard-size surgical table that can be stowed when they are not needed. The unified movement of the table and robotic arms will allow surgical teams to address important clinical needs during procedures, such as the ability to reposition a patient without interruption, Johnson & Johnson MedTech said.
The Ottava robot is still under development. But Johnson & Johnson MedTech said it hopes Ottava will allow for increased availability and flexibility of using a robotic system in hospitals.
Robotic surgery or robot-assisted surgery is not a new concept. Intuitive developed the da Vinci surgical system that is widely used in hospitals today.
According to UCLA Health, the benefits of robotic surgery range from fewer complications and less infection risk to faster recovery and giving surgeons better access to the area they’re working on.
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