Zimmer Biomet Introduces Surgeon-Guided Autonomy for Intelligent Orthopedic Surgery

Built around the framework Predict, Perform, Recover, the approach aims to translate surgeon-defined clinical intent into actions across the surgical care journey, with technology taking on more cognitive and physical tasks without replacing surgeon judgment.

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. has introduced Surgeon-Guided Autonomy, a new technology category designed to connect surgical planning, execution, and patient recovery through intelligent systems while keeping surgeons in control of clinical decisions.

The company unveiled the concept as part of its vision for the next generation of intelligent orthopedic surgery. Built around the framework Predict, Perform, Recover, the approach aims to translate surgeon-defined clinical intent into actions across the surgical care journey, with technology taking on more cognitive and physical tasks without replacing surgeon judgment.

The introduction is scheduled to take place during Zimmer Biomet's sponsored symposium, The Future Is Now: From Kinematic Alignment to Intelligent Surgery, at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS).

According to the company, Surgeon-Guided Autonomy is based on four principles: understanding surgeon intent, executing defined tasks on the surgeon's behalf, maintaining surgeon command and control, and connecting surgical outcomes with recovery data to inform future treatment plans.

The proposed framework comprises three stages. Predict involves analyzing patient-specific data, simulating surgical options, and recommending personalized plans aligned with surgeon goals and patient expectations. Perform focuses on translating those plans into autonomous execution of defined surgical tasks, supported by continuous monitoring and surgeon oversight.

The third stage, Recover, involves analyzing post-operative data, identifying patients whose recovery deviates from expected progress, and providing actionable insights to care teams. These findings can also inform subsequent surgical planning.

Zimmer Biomet will also launch an awareness campaign titled Surgeon-Guided AutonoMe, emphasizing the role of surgeons in directing intelligent surgical technologies.

"Surgeon-Guided Autonomy reflects what we believe the relationship between surgeons and technology should be," said Jonathan Vigdorchik, MD, Chief Science, Technology and Medical Affairs Officer at Zimmer Biomet. He said the approach is intended to help surgeons focus on clinical decisions while intelligent systems support surgical planning and execution.

Dr. Nicolas Piuzzi of Cleveland Clinic said the framework addresses the disconnect between surgical planning, procedures, and post-operative recovery. He also cited existing Zimmer Biomet technologies, including ROSA Knee with OptimiZe, Persona Knee System, ZB Edge Analytics, and the mymobility Care Management Platform, as tools that can support a more connected surgical workflow.

The company said Surgeon-Guided Autonomy represents a broader approach to integrating intelligence, robotics, and data across orthopedic care rather than focusing on a single robotic surgical platform.

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