FDA authorizes J&J's Ottava surgical robot for general surgery
Johnson & Johnson received FDA de novo authorization on July 22, 2026 for its Ottava robotic surgical system, which builds four robotic arms into the operating table. The authorization covers upper-abdominal and other general surgery procedures including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, cholecystectomy, splenectomy, appendectomy, small bowel resection, fundoplication and hiatal hernia repair. The authorization came about six months after J&J filed. The company says it will launch with select U.S. customers first, and a U.S. trial in inguinal hernia repair is ongoing.
Why it's notable: Ottava is a second major competitor to Intuitive's da Vinci in soft-tissue surgery, after Medtronic's Hugo, which gives hospitals buying robots more choice on price and operating-room footprint.