Intuitive Surpasses Expectations with 17% Total Procedure Growth in Q1 2026
Intuitive, a leading medical technology company, has reported a solid start to the year with 17% total procedure growth in Q1 2026. The company's da Vinci and Ion systems saw broad-based adoption across minimally invasive care, driven by strong performance in the U.S. and Europe.
According to Dave Rosa, CEO of Intuitive, Q1 was a "solid start" to the year, with da Vinci procedures growing 16% to 847,000. This growth was led by strength in general surgery, which saw a 14% increase in procedures year-over-year. The company also reported a 39% increase in Ion procedures to 43,000, driven by adoption across various specialties.
The performance was strong in the U.S., where da Vinci utilization grew 4%, with da Vinci 5 systems leading the way. Outside of the U.S., da Vinci procedures grew 19%, led by continued strength in general surgery and gynecology, as adoption expands beyond urology. However, growth rates were lower than expected due to ongoing challenges in China and Japan.
Despite these challenges, Intuitive remains optimistic about its international strategy. The company has made significant investments in organizational capabilities, clinical trials, and research, which are yielding supportive robotic surgery policies and reimbursements in many countries. As a result, out-of-United States (OUS) procedures now represent 38% of total da Vinci volume, up from 25% a decade ago.
Intuitive's capital equipment segment also performed well, with the company placing 431 da Vinci systems in Q1, including 232 da Vinci 5 systems. The addition of Xi-R to its system portfolio and overall ecosystem of technologies, training, and services has expanded access and driven deeper adoption in OUS countries.
The company's clinical highlights included FDA 510(k) clearance for additional uses of its force feedback instruments. This technology is expected to improve surgical outcomes by providing objective knowledge of applied forces in surgery. Intuitive continues to invest in demonstrating this at scale, with several clinical abstracts presented at the recent annual SAGES conference demonstrating lower tissue forces using da Vinci force feedback instrumentation across multiple procedure types.
