Splashing into robotics in 2002, Montpellier, France-based Medtech now has two robotic systems available on the U.S. market.
In October 2016, Warsaw, Ind.-based Zimmer Biomet acquired Medtech with a 58.77 percent stake of the company. Now under the umbrella of a major company, Medtech hopes to expand its ROSA robot customer base, but not lose its initial mission — to drive surgical 
robots in areas of high clinical need.
"Being part of Zimmer Biomet expands resources and access because they are a large global company," says Teresa Prego, Medtech's vice president of marketing.
ROSA Brain represents Medtech's original product, offering surgeons robotic guidance and preplanning with brain surgery. Based on a preoperative plan, the robot drives the arm along planned trajectories, allowing the surgeon to implement the planned intervention.
The company's minimally invasive ROSA Spine, which the FDA cleared in January 2016, involves a similar platform to the brain robot, but is able to adjust for patient movement during surgery.
"Using optical tracking, we are able to track patient movements during surgery for lumbar pedicle screw placement," explains Ms. Prego. A camera monitors patient movement and adjusts the robotic arm trajectory to align with movement.
Ms. Prego believes robotics will continue to gain popularity in the industry, as long as companies prove robotics' high clinical value. Robotics offers accuracy and assistance in procedures with difficult access, which can ultimately lead to enhanced patient outcomes. If robotics can provide outcomes with lower reoperation rates, or less invasive procedures, this could positively impact overall healthcare economics, Ms. Prego adds.
She notes the spine industry stands to benefit from continued investigation into the clinical applications of robots.
"The thinking of robotics overall, is you can provide great precision and lower rework by preplanning and executing the plan with robotic assistance" Ms. Prego says.