In this SRS episode, Sue O'Sullivan speaks with AdventHealth urologist Dr. Michael McDonald about the rise of incisionless surgery and non-thermal histotripsy. Dr. McDonald breaks down how pulsed ultrasound energy targets and destroys soft tissue without heat, radiation, or physical incisions, representing the next major evolutionary step after open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgery. He shares updates on current FDA approvals and clinical trials for liver, kidney, and pancreatic conditions. He also details the launch of the Society of Incisionless Surgery (SIS) and its mission to advance multi-specialty collaboration and AI-driven imaging.

The Society of Incisionless Surgery (SIS) is an affiliate Society of the Society of Robotic Surgery, working collaboratively to expand its programs, collaborations, and educational initiatives to support the growing field of incisionless surgery.

The SIS and SRS are committed to advancing the future of surgery through innovation, evidence-based research, and excellence in education within minimally invasive and incisionless surgical science.

Links for Michael McDonald and the Society of Robotic Surgery

Dr. Michael McDonald LinkedIn | SIS Website | SRS LinkedIn Page | Sue O'Sullivan LinkedIn | YouTube | SRobotics.org

Medtronic announced a $700 million strategic partnership with Cornerstone Robotics to significantly expand its global robotic-assisted surgery portfolio. Under the agreement, Medtronic secures the distribution rights for Cornerstone's Sentire surgical system in select markets outside the United States. Featuring a "boom-based" form factor and an immersive console, the Sentire Surgical System directly complements Medtronic's existing Hugo RAS platform, which utilizes a modular design and open console. By offering both platforms, Medtronic aims to provide hospitals and surgeons with greater choices tailored to their specific procedural preferences and operational needs, accelerating global access to minimally invasive care.

The partnership leverages Medtronic's extensive global training infrastructure, clinical support network, and digital ecosystem to drive adoption. While the U.S. market remains focused exclusively on expanding the Hugo system, this international collaboration allows Medtronic to employ a portfolio approach to increase robotic surgery penetration across underserved geographies worldwide.

Links for Matt Anderson and the Society of Robotic Surgery

Matt Anderson LinkedIn | SRS LinkedIn Page | Sue O'Sullivan LinkedIn | YouTube | SRobotics.org

On this episode of the SRS Podcast, Dr. Martin Martino and Dr. Andrew Hung, Vice Chair for Academic Development, Department of Urology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, engage in a thoughtful discussion about the emerging role of AI not only in robotic surgery but also as it affects our health and daily lives.

Links for Dr. Andrew Hung and the Society of Robotic Surgery

Dr. Andrew Hung LinkedIn | Dr. Andrew Hung Cedars-Sinai | LinkedIn | YouTube | SRobotics.org