Stryker and Zimmer Biomet provided updates on their robotic progress this year in their first quarter earnings calls.
Zimmer Biomet's Rosa Shoulder robot debuted in April, and initial feedback was "very solid," CEO Ivan Tornos said in an earnings call. He said the learning curve was short for surgeons, and that he expects to see the real impact of the robot closer to the end of 2024.
Globally, Zimmer Biomet's Rosa robotics line is becoming the preferred option in several markets outside the U.S., Mr. Tornos said. About one-third of U.S. installations are at ASCs.
Stryker's leaders provided updates on the timeline for its Mako Spine robot. Mako Spine is on pace to launch in the fourth quarter, and the shoulder application is expected by the end of the year, Jason Beach, vice president of finance and investor relations, said in an earnings call. The anticipated launch was pushed back slightly because of regulatory timelines.
The robot will include the Q guidance system that is already on the market, and it will have a robotic attachment for pedicle screw guidance, CEO Kevin Lobo said. Another product that will be launched with the robot, CoPilot, will help with discectomy and bone preparation with haptic feedback.