I remember exactly when I became aware of robotic surgery: I was four years old, watching Luke Skywalker have his hand rebuilt after a rather contentious family reunion. That level of science fiction has not yet become reality, but we're not as far away as we once were.
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG) has been moving humanity closer to fulfilling that futuristic vision since introducing its robot-assisted surgical system, the da Vinci robot, in 2000. With any medical breakthrough, regulatory hurdles can often slow progress to market. But 20 years on, the company is leveraging its global footprint to move at light speed.
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