Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Company and scope

• Delaware corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
• More than 30 years focused on minimally invasive care through a comprehensive robotic-assisted care ecosystem.
• Operates as a single operating segment under U.S. GAAP.

Mission and approach

• Pursues the Quintuple Aim: better patient outcomes, improved patient experiences, enhanced care-team efficiency, lower total cost of care per patient episode, and expanded access to minimally invasive care.
• Combines technology and clinical expertise to enable physicians to perform minimally invasive procedures more effectively.
• Offers an ecosystem that includes robotic-assisted systems, instruments and accessories, learning and training, and digital solutions that connect care teams and clinical workflows.

Products and platforms

Robotic-assisted platforms

• da Vinci surgical systems across multiple generations (da Vinci 5, X, Xi, SP, Si).
• Ion endoluminal system for diagnostic bronchoscopy and minimally invasive lung biopsies.

System components and capabilities

• Surgeon Console: ergonomic control and 3DHD visualization; translates surgeon hand movements into precise intraoperative instrument movements.
• Patient-Side Cart: multiple robotic arms for instrument manipulation inside the patient.
• 3DHD Vision System: high-resolution, high-contrast imaging with digital zoom.
• Firefly fluorescence imaging: real-time visualization of vasculature and tissue perfusion.
• Integrated Table Motion: coordinates OR table movements with the robotic arms for patient positioning.

Instruments and accessories

• da Vinci instruments with wristed joints and a variety of tips (forceps, scissors, electrocautery, etc.), many reusable with a chip-based usage limit.
• SureForm and EndoWrist staplers with multiple reloads, including an 8 mm SureForm 30 Curved-Tip for enhanced access and precision.
• Da Vinci Energy products (E-100 and E-200 generators) for vessel sealing and dissection; Vessel Sealer Extend and SynchroSeal instruments.
• Accessory products such as sterile drapes, replacement endoscopes, camera heads, and other consumables.

Ion endoluminal system

• Flexible, catheter-based robotic platform for lung biopsies with an ultra-thin catheter and shape-sensing navigation.
• Instruments include a fully articulating catheter, peripheral vision probe, and biopsy needles; ancillary items include cleaning and maintenance tools.

Learning and digital solutions

• Intuitive Learning (learning management system), SimNow (cloud-based simulation), and Case Insights / Insights Engine for procedure data and analytics.
• My Intuitive and My Intuitive+ digital subscriptions providing access to data, training, and collaboration tools (Case Insights, Telepresence, SimNow).
• Integrated digital portfolio and OR informatics to support procedure workflows and program analytics.

Services and offerings

• Learning pathways, hands-on training, and proctoring for surgeons, residents, OR staff, and administrators.
• Field service network offering installation, maintenance, 24/7 support, proactive system health monitoring, and software updates.
• Data-powered services such as Custom Hospital Analytics to support program performance.

Clinical applications

• Clinical focus areas include general surgery, urology, gynecology, cardiothoracic, and head & neck procedures.
• Supports approximately 70 representative clinical uses, covering cancer and benign conditions with emphasis on higher-complexity procedures.

Global market presence and go-to-market model

Direct sales and distribution

• Direct sales in the U.S., much of Europe, China (via joint ventures with Fosun), Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan, and Canada.
• In the U.S., China, and Japan, some sales occur through distributors alongside direct sales; other markets rely on distributors.

Joint ventures

• Operates joint ventures in China with Fosun: Intuitive Surgical-Fosun Medical Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and Intuitive Surgical-Fosun (HongKong) Co. Ltd.

Customers and purchasing dynamics

• Primary customers are hospitals and healthcare systems that install and operate da Vinci and Ion systems; customers purchase systems and routinely acquire instruments and accessories to support ongoing use.
• Business experiences seasonality in procedure volumes and in instrument and capital purchases; initial system sales are major capital equipment decisions.

Manufacturing, distribution and supply chain

• Manufacturing and assembly in the U.S. (Sunnyvale, CA; Peachtree Corners, GA), a joint venture facility in Shanghai for instruments and components, Ion-related manufacturing in Blacksburg, VA, and endoscope-related manufacturing in Bulgaria and Germany.
• Sources components from multiple suppliers, including some sole-source and single-source arrangements.

Financial snapshot

• Employees: approximately 17,021 full-time employees as of December 31, 2025.
  • R&D: ~2,288
  • Manufacturing operations: ~7,625
  • Commercial and service operations: ~4,837
  • Administrative activities: ~2,271
  • Employees operate across 29 countries.
• Revenue mix (2025): approximately 68% domestic (U.S.) and 32% international.
• Reports one operating segment for financial reporting purposes.

Regulatory and market context

• Product classification: da Vinci and Ion products are regulated as medical devices (Class II in the U.S. under FDA rules).
• Global regulatory compliance includes requirements from the FDA, EU MDR, UK regulatory regime, NMPA in China, MHLW in Japan, and other national bodies.
• Reimbursement varies by country and is influenced by procedural coding (e.g., CPT in the U.S.), DRG-based hospital payments, and health technology assessment processes.
• Competitive environment includes traditional approaches (open surgery and conventional minimally invasive surgery), other robotic and endoluminal platforms, and potential new entrants globally, including in China.