Florida–based Bovie Medical has won FDA marketing clearance for its J-Plasma precise flex handpiece.

The device is designed to be used in robotic-assisted procedures including those with Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci surgical system. It has a flexible shaft that can be controlled with graspers, forceps or grasping instruments. The unit was designed to be used through an accessory port.

It can be controlled entirely from a surgeon’s console using a robotic grasper, allowing the surgeon to visualize a wide variety of surgical planes.

The company is to launch the device in the second half of 2017. — Cynthia Jessup