Smith and Nephew completes Blue Belt Technologies acquisition

Smith and Nephew has announced the completion of its acquisition of Blue Belt Technologies, which was agreed in October.

The takeover gives Smith and Nephew a leading position in the fast-growing area of orthopaedic robotics-assisted surgery, with Blue Belt's Navio surgical system currently providing robotic assistance for unicondylar or partial knee replacement surgery.

It incorporates CT-free navigation software and a unique handheld robotic bone-shaping device. The system complements Smith and Nephew's existing partial knee implant portfolio, allowing them to potentially accelerate growth in this promising area of surgery.

Additionally, following the acquisition, the company intends to expand the Navio platform into total knee, bi-cruciate retaining knee and revision knee implants, delivering significant further opportunities.

Olivier Bohuon, chief executive officer of Smith and Nephew, said: "Our experience working with Blue Belt Technologies and our customer insight has convinced us that robotics will become increasingly mainstream across orthopaedic reconstruction in the foreseeable future."

The firm expects annual revenue growth at Blue Belt Technologies to be in excess of 50 percent in the medium term.