Think Surgical is partnering with Concordia University in Montreal to develop artificial intelligence algorithms for robotic surgery.

Robert Rice, MD, recently completed the first tumor biopsy with the ExcelsiusGPS Cranial Solutions at Bristol (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center.

Two France-based robotics companies are partnering to create a knee replacement system.

Valley Health has implemented Stryker's Mako robot for joint replacements at Winchester (Va.) Medical Center and Warren Memorial Hospital in Front Royal, W.Va., the Royal Examiner reported April 25.

Cambridge (Minn.) Medical Center has added the Stryker Mako knee and hip replacement robotic arm, County News Review reported April 24.

Spinal device company Accelus recently appointed Kevin Foley, MD, as its first chief robotics officer.

The Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute has added six robots to its surgical arsenal.

Christus Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth in Beaumont has added a spine robot to assist surgeons with the implantation of pedicle screws among other techniques, ABC and NBC affiliate KBMT reported April 13.

Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Health became the first in southwest Florida to add the ExcelsiusGPS robot for spine surgery.

David Dvorak invested $5 million in Think Surgical, a medtech company behind the TSolution One total knee replacement surgical robot.

Hudson Regional Hospital received five Center of Excellence designations from the Surgical Review Corp., including two robotic nods.

Hamilton, N.Y.-based Community Memorial Hospital launched a robotic surgery program in partnership with Hamilton Orthopedics Spine and Sports Medicine, The Daily Sentinel reported April 5.

James Leipzig, MD, recently completed his 85th case using Medtronic's Mazor X Stealth robotic surgical system.

A California spine surgeon recently completed his 100th spine procedure using Globus Medical's ExcelsiusGPS robot.

Orthopedic joint replacement robots can be a major asset to hospitals and health systems.

The University of Toledo (Ohio) Medical Center added Medtronic's Mazor X Stealth robot, according to a March 31 announcement in The Blade.

Wisconsin orthopedic surgeon David Eggert, MD, began performing robotic-assisted joint replacements five years ago after the launch of Stryker's Mako system and has been impressed with the robot's application for complex cases, according to the Ripon Commonwealth Press.

The worldwide surgical robotics market is projected to reach $18.3 billion by 2028, up from $7.8 billion in 2021, and competition among medtech companies is gathering momentum, according to market research and consulting firm ReAnIn.

From landmark cases to new partnerships, here are six key updates in spine and orthopedic robotics to know from the first quarter of 2022:

Spine surgery is well-positioned to benefit from robotics, which, when paired with next-generation navigation technologies, has the potential to augment the skills of spine surgeons to improve patient safety and outcomes and reduce complications and costs.