Medtronic is bringing on a new chief medical officer for its digital and robotics teams, who it described as one of the top five robotic surgeons in the U.S.
James Porter serves as medical director of robotic surgery at the Providence Swedish health system in Seattle. Specializing in prostate, kidney cancer and urinary constructive operations, Porter has performed more than 5,000 robotic procedures during his career as a urologic surgeon, and according to the company he will continue to practice there part-time.
As a CMO within Medtronic’s surgical business, he will help shape the division’s clinical evidence development plans, while engaging with physicians and medical societies—and he’s starting this week.
Using the company’s Hugo robot, Porter was scheduled to perform a live partial nephrectomy during the annual meeting of the European Robotic Urology Society, which is being held in Bordeaux, France.
The company said the procedure would be one of 13 cases demonstrated with the cart-based Hugo system, which has received regulatory green lights in Europe, Canada and Japan, but has not yet been approved in the U.S.
“Tens of millions of patients around the world still lack access to minimally invasive surgical care and I’m excited about our opportunity at Medtronic to make a big impact for humanity,” Porter said in a statement.
Porter will also help oversee Medtronic’s Touch Surgery programs. Earlier this year, the company launched its Live Stream offering, which offers remote, real-time observation within the operating room for virtual coaching and teaching sessions.