The Surgical Robot That Fits in the Hallway

CMR Surgical launches Versius Plus in the US, offering hospitals a portable, modular surgical robot with a 45,000-patient global track record

14 Apr 2026

A surgical robot that fits through a standard door and requires no dedicated operating room sounds almost too convenient. CMR Surgical, a Cambridge-based firm, is betting that American hospitals will find the proposition hard to refuse.

The company formally introduced its Versius Plus platform to the US surgical community at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons annual meeting in Tampa, Florida. The system received FDA clearance in December 2025 for cholecystectomy procedures, with further indications in progress. CMR claims 45,000 patients treated across more than 30 countries, a clinical footprint it considers its strongest argument against a cautious American market.

The machine's selling point is mobility. Fixed robotic systems demand dedicated theatre infrastructure, a costly commitment that has kept robotic surgery concentrated in well-resourced hospitals. Versius Plus, mounted on a cart, can move between operating rooms and coexist with conventional workflows. It also adds near-infrared fluorescence imaging, improving visualization of blood flow during minimally invasive procedures.

Chris O'Hara, CMR's US President and General Manager, confirmed the company is currently selecting its first hospital and ambulatory surgery centre partners, with a national rollout to follow as additional clearances are secured. CEO Massimiliano Colella pointed to demand already building, describing "a healthy queue of centers already seeking access to the platform." CMR raised more than $200 million in 2025, backed by SoftBank and Tencent, to fund the push.

The timing is pointed. Intuitive Surgical has dominated US robotic surgery for two decades, its da Vinci system installed in nearly every major American hospital. Medtronic has recently entered with its Hugo system for urologic procedures. Johnson & Johnson is preparing its own submission. More competition should, in theory, improve pricing for procurement teams and broaden access across smaller facilities.

Whether portability translates into clinical adoption at scale is a different question. Hospitals have invested heavily in Intuitive's ecosystem, including training, instruments, and service contracts. Switching costs are real, and surgeons are not always eager to learn new platforms. CMR's global track record is genuine, but American surgical culture has its own pace. A well-timed arrival and a full waiting room are not the same as a signed contract.