Two of the top 10 largest medtech companies will partner together on robotic head and spine procedures, with Medtronic looking to link its surgical suite with Siemens Healthineers’ pre- and post-op imaging know-how.
Announced during the annual meeting of the North American Spine Society, Medtronic said it plans to roll out a string of hardware and software upgrades to its AiBLE platform—which encompasses the company’s StealthStation navigation system, Mazor robotic guides and artificial intelligence programs for modeling anatomy and designing personalized implants.
And now Siemens Healthineers has agreed to add its Multitom Rax robotic X-ray scanner to the mix, with plans for the two companies to integrate and comarket the ceiling-mounted system.
“Multitom Rax delivers geometrically accurate images which allows precise measurements of the patient's vertebrae,” Siemens Healthineers’ executive VP for X-ray products, Verena Schoen, said in a statement. “Especially optimized for spine imaging, it not only contributes to faster diagnosis and treatment planning but also to surgical execution and post-surgical control.”
Medtronic and Siemens Healthineers said they will also collaborate on other development and commercial work centered around the AiBLE platform.
“We are thrilled with the prospect of working with the industry leader in imaging and to leverage the depth of imaging experience and expertise, commercial footprint, and shared commitment to data science to advance our AiBLE strategy and shared pursuit of better patient outcomes,” said Skip Kiil, president of cranial and spinal technologies at Medtronic.
Medtronic is also not neglecting its own AiBLE imaging system, the O-arm. At NASS, it spotlighted updated software for the three-dimensional, cone-beam CT scanner, offering radiation dose reductions and reducing artifacts around metal screw implants.
Meanwhile, the company said it has also improved the image quality of its Mazor guidance system and is introducing AI programs that analyze lumbar MRIs to segment, label and measure key aspects of the lower spine.
Medtronic also pitched the ModuLeX rod and modular screw implant system, the latest generation in the company’s CD Horizon spinal fixation lineup.