Shock to the Bronchoscopy Surgical Robot Market: Chinese Entrants Challenge Ion's Dominance

Intuitive Surgical’s bronchoscopic surgical robot “Ion” is facing unprecedented challenges in the Chinese market. After receiving approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in March 2024 and initiating local sales, Ion has encountered growing competition in 2026 with the emergence of multiple domestic manufacturers, leading to cracks in its dominance.

This article delves into the latest developments in the bronchoscopic surgical robot market and the shifting competitive landscape surrounding Ion.

Technological and Clinical Data Lead, but Pricing and New Models Pose Challenges

Bronchoscopic surgical robots are systems designed to guide catheters into the peripheral regions of the lungs, previously inaccessible with conventional bronchoscopes, enabling minimally invasive tissue sampling and treatment. Ion’s shape-sensing technology allows it to reach beyond the 7th generation bronchi (up to the 11th generation), demonstrating advantages in diagnostic success rates and reduced complication risks. By 2025, Ion had achieved strong performance globally with 195 new units installed annually, bringing the total to 995 units, and surgeries increasing by over 50% year-on-year.

However, Intuitive Surgical’s management revised down their forecast for surgical growth in a January 2026 earnings call, citing two pressures: “bidding challenges in the Chinese market” and “pricing competition and market entry by competitors.”

The Rise of Domestic Players: Disposable Strategy and Dual-Arm Robots

The greatest perceived threat comes from PolyArk’s disposable bronchoscopic surgical robot, “PolyArk Baichuan.” This product, localized from U.S.-based Nova Medical’s Galaxy robot, uniquely integrates disposable bronchoscopes with accompanying consumables. This approach eliminates cross-contamination risks (approximately 8% with traditional bronchoscopes), reducing them to zero.

While Ion employs a “high-value device + reusable endoscope” model, PolyArk Baichuan opts for a “high-value device + disposable endoscope” strategy. Considering the hidden costs of traditional models, such as high purchase prices, repair expenses, and sterilization, the disposable approach could offer a cost advantage in the Chinese market. Although the catheter diameter is slightly larger at 4.0mm (compared to Ion’s 3.5mm), its 2.1mm working channel allows compatibility with larger treatment tools like cryoablation needles without requiring additional channels.

Another significant competitor, Jingfeng Medical, introduced the world’s first dual-arm bronchoscopic surgical robot, “CP1000,” approved by the NMPA in January 2025. Furthermore, MicroPort’s “UniPath Electronic Bronchoscopy Navigation System” was approved in December 2025, featuring a catheter diameter of approximately 4.0mm and sub-1mm structural identification capabilities.

Langhe Medical’s “Polaris” bronchoscopy navigation robot adopts full-range sensing technology and multimodal AI algorithms, enabling navigation in as little as 12 seconds. The system has already been used in over 1,100 surgeries across numerous hospitals nationwide. Meanwhile, Kunbo Medical’s “Bronchoscopic Surgical Robot System” was included in the 2025 Artificial Intelligence Medical Device Innovation Task List, and its radiofrequency ablation system, “Zhiheng,” has entered the commercialization stage.

Barriers to Commercialization and the Role of Health Insurance

Although the number of approved products is growing, no manufacturer has yet achieved large-scale profits in the Chinese market due to the high cost of devices—over 10 million yuan (approximately $1.4 million)—and the significant financial burden on patients.

However, at the end of 2025, China’s National Healthcare Security Administration released guidelines to standardize the pricing mechanisms for innovative medical services, including surgical robots. Some products have begun to be included in provincial and national health insurance catalogs, raising hopes of reducing hospital purchasing risks and patient costs.

Additionally, the integration of AI for 3D reconstruction of CT images and the combination with 5G remote surgery are expanding commercialization possibilities. At Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Langhe Medical’s Polaris was used to perform a 5G remote bronchoscopy surgery over a distance of more than 5,000 km, offering a new model for precision diagnosis for patients in remote locations.

Future Outlook: Who Will Be the Next “Da Vinci”?

While Ion is still poised to claim the top spot in global market share by 2026, competition in the Chinese market remains fierce among players like Ion, Monarch, PolyArk Baichuan, and Polaris, with no manufacturer yet achieving a decisive advantage.

As all companies begin on the same starting line, the next two to three years will be critical in determining who can present superior clinical data and offer business models tailored to hospital needs. The industry is closely watching to see who will emerge as the next “Da Vinci” in the field of bronchoscopic surgical robots.