Thursday May 7, 2026 — Field Note
Johnson & Johnson presented first clinical data for its Ottava robotic surgery system at the ASMBS meeting, reporting that all 30 gastric‑bypass cases were completed robotically without conversion and met 30‑day safety endpoints. The FORTE feasibility study, conducted across six U.S. hospitals, supports J&J’s de novo FDA application for a broader range of general‑surgery procedures. Ottava’s key differentiator is its integration of four arms into a standard surgical table, allowing use in smaller operating rooms that previously could not accommodate traditional robots. While the data are promising, the system is still months away from market launch and must prove its value beyond safety milestones.
Tuesday May 5, 2026
Johnson & Johnson released first‑in‑human data for its OTTAVA robotic surgical system, showing safety and performance success in a 30‑patient gastric bypass cohort and filing a De Novo request with the FDA. The week also saw the US‑China tariff truce...
Monday April 27, 2026
Policy and market forces converged this week as CMS and the FDA launched the RAPID coverage pathway, slashing Medicare approval timelines for breakthrough devices from over a year to as little as two months for roughly 40 qualifying products. Meanwhile,...
Thursday April 23, 2026 — Field Note
Stereotaxis announced a deal to acquire robotic PCI developer Robocath for up to $45 million, including a $20 million cash upfront payment and up to $25 million in milestone‑based earn‑outs tied to regulatory and commercial progress. The acquisition brings Robocath’s R‑One+ platform—currently CE‑marked...
Thursday April 16, 2026 — Field Note
AI startup Luminai announced a $38 million Series B round to expand its intelligence platform across health‑system operations. The funding, led by PHTI, backs a partnership with the Cleveland Clinic, which serves roughly 15 million patients annually, focusing initially on referral‑management workflows. Luminai...
Monday April 13, 2026
This week’s medtech briefing highlights a surge of strategic deals and capital flowing into neurovascular and AI‑enabled health solutions. Stryker announced the acquisition of Amplitude Vascular Systems to add intravascular lithotripsy to its peripheral‑vascular portfolio, while Gilead agreed to buy...
Thursday April 9, 2026 — Field Note
Boston Scientific’s Watchman FLX left‑atrial appendage closure device demonstrated non‑inferiority to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) on a composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, stroke and systemic embolism in the CHAMPION‑AF trial presented at ACC.26 and published in NEJM, and it achieved...
Monday March 30, 2026
The medical device landscape is accelerating across multiple fronts. Medtronic secured FDA clearance to extend its robotic platform into cranial and ENT surgeries, while Boston Scientific introduced a fluid‑management system for ureteroscopy. At‑home neuromodulation received a $6 million infusion after FDA...