MARS Magnetic Surgery Debuts in Florida with 94-96% Patient Satisfaction

For healthcare executives and surgical service line leaders, the debut of MARS in Florida signals an opportunity to reduce OR costs by eliminating an incision and a bedside assistant—while maintaining high patient satisfaction. As hospitals weigh capital investments in new surgical technology, clinical data showing 94-96% satisfaction and a 5-day average return to work strengthen the business case for magnetic-assisted laparoscopy.

Levita Magnetics' MARS Magnetic Surgery platform has reached a new geographic milestone, with its first procedures performed in Florida at HCA Florida Mercy Hospital in Miami. This marks the state’s debut of the FDA-cleared platform, which uses Dynamic Magnetic Positioning to guide surgical instruments from outside the body—reducing incisions, scarring, and recovery time. The technology is particularly impactful in bariatric surgery, where reduced-port approaches can mean fewer visible scars and faster return to normal activities.

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A subsequent prospective trial of the MARS platform specifically showed 92.5% of patients were very satisfied and 97.5% would recommend the system.

The platform is built on the Magnetic Surgical System, which uses an external magnet to control an internal instrument, enabling active retraction without a dedicated trocar incision. This eliminates the need for an additional bedside assistant for camera or retraction tasks, potentially streamlining operating room workflows. With over 2,500 surgeries performed globally, the system has generated compelling clinical data. In its original pivotal trial, patient satisfaction reached 94-96%, and average return to work was just five days. A subsequent prospective trial of the MARS platform specifically showed 92.5% of patients were very satisfied and 97.5% would recommend the system.

For Florida, a state with a large and growing bariatric surgery population, the arrival of MARS at an HCA Healthcare facility—one of the largest for-profit hospital systems—signals the technology's commercial progression. Bariatric surgery volumes in the U.S. have been steadily increasing, with sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass procedures often performed laparoscopically; any innovation that can further reduce port sites and operative time aligns with hospital goals of efficiency and patient experience.

From a market perspective, the minimally invasive surgery sector is projected to grow substantially, driven by demand for quicker recoveries and reduced complications. Magnetic surgery, while still a niche, addresses specific ergonomic and cost challenges. By removing a trocar and an assistant, MARS may lower direct and indirect costs per case—an attractive proposition for value-based care models. However, widespread adoption hinges on surgeon training, capital equipment investment, and demonstrable outcomes across diverse patient populations.