Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) announced Monday that it is launching new surgical tools that will help ease physician hand fatigue that stems from spinal procedures.
The electronic tools called Powerease are compatible with two Medtronic pedicle screw platforms on the market: the CD Horizon Solera Spinal System and the TSRH 3Dx Spinal System
“Biomechanical testing demonstrated that when compared with traditional instruments used for delivering spinal therapy, the Powerease System reduces surgeons’ fatigue associated with repetitive hand motion and enhances surgeon control, including in complex reconstructions of the spine,” said Doug King, senior vice president and president of Medtronic Spinal, in a news release.
Balancing the Role of Physicians and AI [Video]
At the ViVE conference in LA, Smarter Technologies Chief Medical Officer Ruben Amarasingham MD talked with Katie Adams about the company's larger goals for AI: to improve the accuracy of data and make healthcare less burdensome for physicians and clinicians.
The Powerease System, which is used for drilling, tapping and driving specialized implants during spinal surgery, was developed jointly by Medtronic’s Spinal and Surgical Technologies business units. Interestingly, those two business units show markedly contrasting trajectories in terms of revenue growth in the quarter ended Jan. 27. The Spinal business saw revenue drop 10 percent to $784 million. At the same time, Surgical Technologies saw revenue jump 22 percent to $319 million. Surgical Technologies is part of the Restorative Therapies Group.