Levita Magnetics Archives - Medical Design Sourcing

Another surgical robotics CEO says GLP-1s could boost bariatric surgeries

Levita Magnetics founder, CEO and President Dr. Alberto Rodriguez-Navarro [Photo courtesy of Levita Magnetics]

The rise of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight loss drugs will likely increase demand for bariatric surgeries in the long run, according to Levita Magnetics founder, CEO and President Dr. Alberto Rodriguez-Navarro.

He’s the latest CEO of a surgical robotics developer to weigh in on how these novel drugs could affect demand for bariatric procedures and the wave of robotic systems being launched to perform them.

In an interview with Medical Design & Outsourcing, Rodriguez-Navarro says he views GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy in the same way as previous advances like intragastric balloons that were hailed as obesity solutions.

“Down the line, you stop using those treatments and the people regain the weight, because obesity’s a multifactorial, very complex diseas…

Levita Magnetics takes its MARS robotic surgery platform international

The Levita Magnetics MARS (magnetic-assisted robotic surgery) system uses magnetic forces to control a grasper instrument inside a patient. [Image courtesy of Levita Magnetics]Levita Magnetics today announced the international launch of its MARS (magnetic-assisted robotic surgery) system with its placement at Hospital Luis Tisne in Santiago, Chile.

Dr. Julio Jimenez used the system to perform same-day-discharge cholecystectomies (gallbladder removal) and bariatric surgeries.

Jiminez previously helped Levita Magnetics with its clinical trials, said Levita Magnetics founder, CEO and President Dr. Alberto Rodriguez-Navarro.

Rodriguez-Navarro is a minimally invasive surgeon from Chile who worked in the public system for nearly 10 years before halting his clinical practice and moving to the U.S. to develop the magnetic technology.

“Returning to my home and bringing something new, something better, it’s really kind of an emotional moment,”…

Levita Magnetics wins FDA clearance for magnetic-assisted surgical robot

The MARS surgical robot system. [Image courtesy of Levita Magnetics]Levita Magnetics announced today that the FDA approved its MARS magnetic-assisted robotic surgery platform.

Mountain View, California-based Levita designed its MARS minimally invasive surgical platform for the high-volume abdominal surgery market. It combines magnets and machines to reduce the number of incisions, enabling complete control during laparoscopic procedures.

The system comes in a compact footprint designed to fit into existing operating rooms. It builds on the success of the company’s first commercial product, the Levita Magnetic Surgical System. Levita designed MARS to deliver the same patient benefits while empowering surgeons with increased control of surgical instruments.

“Today marks a significant milestone in Levita’s mission to provide more patients access to state-of-the-art surgical technology. MARS is poised to revolutionize surgical options for a br…

8 more surgical robotics companies you need to know

The Versius surgical robotics system [Image from CMR Surgical] You know the big hitters in surgical robotics. Here are some of the companies you may not know about, but you should keep an eye on them.

Last month, MassDevice compiled a list of 16 surgical robotics companies you need to know. That list included the usual suspects, like Intuitive, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and more. But, a list of 16 companies hardly scratches the surface.

Competition continues to heat up what is already one of the hottest spaces in medtech. Here are eight more companies that made waves in robot-assisted surgery recently:

Company Robotic system CMR Surgical Versius Medical Microinstruments Symani Levita Magnetics MARS Virtuoso Surgical Virtuoso System eCential Robotics Surgivisio Globus Medical ExcelsiusGPS Distalmotion Dexter Quantum Surgical Epione CMR Surgical

Cambridge, United Kingdom-based CMR Surgical took a massive step forward in 2021.

The …

Levita Magnetics raises $26M for Magnetic-Assisted Robotic Surgery platform

Levita’s Magnetic-Assisted Robotic Surgery (MARS) platform [Photo courtesy of Levita]Levita Magnetics said today it has raised $26 million to fund regulatory and commercial progress on its Magnetic-Assisted Robotic Surgery (MARS) platform.

The Menlo Park, California-based robotic surgery system developer also appointed Maria Sainz as chair of its board of directors.

The MARS platform is designed to help surgeons perform more high-volume abdominal procedures using fewer incisions and fewer personnel.

Levita won FDA de novo classification for its Levita Magnetic Surgical System in 2015. That handheld device uses a magnet placed outside of a patient’s abdomen to control a magnetic grasper inside the body during surgery, requiring only one incision instead of two.

The device requires someone to hold the external magnet while the surgeon is operating, but the new MARS platform assists with the external magnet and gives the surgeon more control…

Levita Magnetics announces first magnetic robot-assisted surgeries

Levita Magnetics announced today that it performed the first procedures with its robot-assisted surgical platform.

Menlo Park, Calif.-based Levita’s newest system, the Levita Robotic Platform, was used by Dr. Ignacio Robles in a reduced-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) at Clínica INDISA in Santiago, Chile, as part of a clinical study of the platform.

According to a news release, Levita designed the new platform to deliver the clinical benefits of the company’s first commercial product, the Levita Magnetic surgical system, which includes less pain, faster recovery and fewer scars.

The company said it intends to use the platform to improve visualization, maintain surgeon control of instruments and increase hospital efficiency with fewer assistive personnel required for the procedure. The design specifically targets high-volume ambulatory or same-day discharge abdominal surgeries.

Robles said the first procedure…