Medtronic LigaSure RAS Maryland Wins FDA Nod for Hugo Robotics

The Medtronic LigaSure RAS Maryland has cleared the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The nod covers the jaw device for use with Medtronic's Hugo robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system.

The nod brings Medtronic's vessel-sealing tech to US surgeons doing robotic-assisted cases. It also widens the tool tray for the Hugo system.

What the Medtronic LigaSure RAS Maryland does

The Medtronic LigaSure RAS Maryland is a jaw device. It is built to pair only with the Valleylab FT10 energy platform on the Hugo RAS system.

It seals and cuts vessels, thick tissue, and lymphatics up to 7mm across. Vessel sealing takes about two seconds. It also cuts thermal spread to nearby tissue.

Hugo RAS system: US indication and global footprint

In the US, the Hugo RAS system is now cleared for urologic surgical work. A rising number of US health systems and hospitals have adopted it.

Medtronic said it is working to expand the Hugo indications. The plan is to cover a wider range of soft-tissue surgery. That takes in general and gynaecological work.

Outside the US, the Hugo RAS system has been used in over 35 countries. It has been used across more than 50 kinds of surgical procedures. Those span urology, general surgery, and gynaecology.

Kroh on bringing LigaSure into robotics

Medtronic Surgical chief medical officer and practising surgeon Dr Matthew Kroh framed the launch around the LigaSure legacy.

Kroh said: "Vessel sealing sits at the centre of how surgeons work through the most demanding moments of a procedure, and surgeons have trusted LigaSure to do it across open and laparoscopic surgery for decades."

Kroh added: "Bringing that same performance to the Hugo RAS system in the US means surgeons carry the confidence and control they already rely on into their robotic-assisted cases."

Europe backdrop and Medtronic pipeline

The Medtronic LigaSure RAS Maryland is not new to Europe. It launched on the Hugo RAS system there in 2025. That came after a CE mark.

Medtronic has also stayed busy on the cardiac side. Last month, its Sphere-9 catheter and Affera mapping and ablation system won a CE mark in Europe. That approval covered ventricular arrhythmia treatment.

Why the Medtronic LigaSure RAS Maryland matters

Vessel sealing is a core step in most soft-tissue cases. Bringing LigaSure into the Hugo tray gives US robotic surgeons a familiar tool inside a newer platform. That may lower switch cost for teams weighing Hugo against rival robotic systems.

For urologic teams, general surgeons, gynaecologic teams, and hospital procurement, the Medtronic LigaSure RAS Maryland closes a US kit gap for Hugo. Coverage on Medigear.uk tracks the US rollout, Hugo indication push, and side-by-side data with other robotic vessel-sealing tools.

Source: Originating coverage based on Medical Device Network reporting by Salong Debbarma, September 17, 2026, on FDA clearance of Medtronic's LigaSure RAS Maryland jaw device for the Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system. URL: https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/