Johnson and Johnson Reveals General Surgery Robot Timeline

Yesterday, Johnson and Johnson MedTech issued a press release to its investors and the public detailing the timeline for its general surgery robot. According to the announcement, the company intends to submit to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024, with plans to begin clinical trials in the US if the submission is approved.

The company’s general surgery robot is called the OTTAVA System. OTTAVA is a four-armed robot embedded into a standard surgical table that can be available for some surgical procedures or hidden under the table when it is not needed.

Despite the typical difficulties associated with integrating new technology, the company claims that the integration into the surgical table can ease its transition into the operating room (OR).

“The industry needs a system that is adaptable, easy to use in any OR in the world and maintains space in the OR. As surgeons, we need space to improve the workflow in the OR, increase safety, and enable 360-degree patient access so we can perform at the capacity that we would like to. That's where OTTAVA comes in. OTTAVA offers a unique design that incorporates into any OR and allows surgeons to do what they would like to do and know how to do, which is focus on the patient,” said Eduardo Parra-Davila, MD, a Colorectal and General Surgeon at the Palm Beach Digital Institute, in the release.

The arms of the system can be synced up using a twin-motion feature that allows them to move in unison. Currently, the device only uses Ethicon surgical instruments, which Johnson and Johnson perceive as the most consistent and precise instruments.

"I want consistency and reliability across the instruments I use," said Erik Wilson, MD, Chief of Minimally Invasive and Elective General Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, in the press release.

"Often today, I am required to use instruments with variable utility and functionality between traditional laparoscopic procedures and robotic-assisted procedures. Access to the reliable Ethicon laparoscopic instruments on a robotic platform would be useful to operate with less variability regardless of surgical modality."

The press release claims that the product's design will provide flexibility in operating rooms and allow providers to tailor surgical approaches to patient needs. Sweeping claims from Johnson and Johnson about the device’s reinvention of surgical experiences suggest that the tool may also simplify complex workflows.

Although the product is not fully developed or available for use, the company notes that it would build on Johnson and Johnson MedTech’s technological portfolio, which includes the MONARCH platform and the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution.

As the company’s plans develop, they will continue to add to their investigational device exemption (IDE) submission and await approval before starting clinical trials.