[Surgery] AI successfully performs gallbladder removal. The future of 'medical robot investment' as seen by a former patient.

News that AI has successfully performed a gallbladder removal surgery

I was very interested to see the news that a surgical robot equipped with AI had autonomously and successfully performed a gallbladder removal surgery on a pig.

Since I enjoy investing, I have long known about Intuitive Surgical (ISRG), the company that developed the 'da Vinci' surgical support robot. I have even been recommended it as an 'interesting company for long-term investment' in the past.

This news left a strong impression on me, not just from an investor's perspective, but also as a patient who has actually undergone gallbladder removal surgery.

I myself have undergone gallbladder removal surgery

Several years ago, I developed common bile duct stones and cholecystitis, and I underwent a laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery.

The surgery time was relatively short, the incisions were small, and I am now living a completely normal life.

Of course, it was a major surgery for me, and I felt anxious. However, in the medical field, gallbladder removal is widely performed as a relatively standardized procedure.

At the time, I heard something like this from a medical professional:

'Gallbladder removal is a relatively basic procedure among surgical operations, and it is often used by young surgeons to gain experience under the supervision of a mentor.'

Of course, patient safety is the top priority, so inexperienced doctors do not perform surgery alone and freely. Even so, it was impressive that this surgery holds an important position in the training of surgeons.

That is why the progress of AI is easy to understand

The news that AI has successfully performed this gallbladder removal surgery means that AI has been able to replicate exactly that 'standardized surgery'.

The current da Vinci is a surgical support robot operated by a doctor.

On the other hand, in this research, the AI recognized images and performed the following processes itself:

・Grasping tissue
・Dissecting
・Attaching clips
・Determining safe procedures

It executed these steps on its own.

Of course, it is still at the research stage with pigs, but in terms of autonomous driving, it gives the impression of taking a step forward from 'driver assistance' to 'autonomous driving'.

Will AI take away surgeons' jobs?

I don't think so.

In actual surgery,

・Unexpected bleeding
・Organ adhesions
・Anatomical individual differences
・Emergency decision-making

and many other situations require human experience.

Rather than replacing surgeons, AI will likely

'AI handles standard tasks, while doctors make difficult decisions'

—I wonder if this is the kind of division of labor we will see.

As an investor, what concerns me is Intuitive Surgical's stock price.

Seeing this news, the first thing I thought was,

'Is it okay to buy Intuitive Surgical stock at its current level?'

That was the question.

The company is a top-tier enterprise with a world-leading market share for the da Vinci system.

With sales and profits continuing to rise and high market valuation, the stock price can by no means be called cheap.

If judged solely by P/E ratio like a typical value stock, many would likely feel it is 'too expensive'.

On the other hand,

・Expansion of surgical robot adoption
・Recurring revenue from consumables and maintenance contracts
・New growth areas like AI-driven autonomous surgery

When considering these factors, the reason for its high valuation is understandable.

Personally, rather than 'buying because it's a good company',

'to what extent the stock price has already priced in future growth'

is something I want to carefully assess.

Even with an excellent company, if you buy at too high a price, your investment performance will not grow.

Conversely, if there are opportunities where the stock is undervalued due to overall market corrections or declines in the medical device sector, it is well worth considering for long-term investment.

An era where AI changes both medicine and investment

When people think of AI, text and image generation tend to get all the attention, but it may be medicine that truly changes society in a major way.

If AI further improves surgical precision and allows people in rural areas to receive the same level of medical care as those in urban areas, it will be a great benefit to many patients.

As someone who has actually undergone gallbladder removal surgery, this news was not just a story about the future, but an event that made me realize, 'Has medicine really advanced this far?'

As both an investor and a patient, I look forward to watching the evolution of Intuitive Surgical and AI medicine for a long time to come.

Notes

*AI-assisted gallbladder removal is currently in the research stage. Further verification of safety and efficacy will be required for general clinical application in humans.

*While cholecystectomy is a relatively standardized procedure, it is by no means a 'simple surgery' as it carries risks of complications such as bile duct injury and bleeding.

*The mention of Intuitive Surgical is from a personal investment perspective and does not constitute a recommendation to purchase any specific stock.