Intuitive Surgical Inc. benefited from keen interest in resuming surgeries during pandemic troughs and hospitals investing in its Da Vinci robotic system in preparation for a more endemic phase of COVID-19, Intuitive CEO Gary Guthart said in a presentation at the J.P. Morgan 40th Annual Healthcare Conference on Jan. 12. The company’s unaudited preliminary fourth quarter and full year 2021 results also showed strong growth in procedure volumes – 19% year-over-year compared to 2020 and 13% compared to 2019. Still, Intuitive reported that “during 2021, COVID-19 resurgences continued to impact Da Vinci procedure volumes. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company’s business has, and continues to, differ by geography and region.”