Next Generation Surgery: New Integrated OR Solution from KARL STORZ Celebrates Official Market Launch in Europe
25.06.2026
Tuttlingen – KARL STORZ is setting a new standard for high-end, integrated, digitally connected operating rooms by officially launching OR1™ X Pro under the ‘Smart surgery starts here’ campaign. The system is now available in Europe and has already been successfully deployed at the University Women’s Hospital in Tübingen, Germany—the first installation worldwide. The experiences gained in everyday clinical practice demonstrate that the new generation of operating rooms take efficiency, connectivity, and future-proofing in the OR to a new level. The new solution is AI-ready and is designed to reduce the workload on surgical teams and providing patients with even safer, higher-quality care. Additional installations are underway at health care sites throughout Germany and Norway, with plans to extend into other markets soon.
Networked OR infrastructure for greater efficiency and precision
“With our new OR1™ Integration Platform, we’re going beyond integration. By bringing together visualization, device connectivity, collaboration, and operational data into one unified system, we’re building a powerful workflow automation platform for surgical teams, enabled by state-of-the-art AI,” explains Christy Gaudet, Head of Global Solutions at KARL STORZ. The solution combines high-performance 4K visualization and IT infrastructure with an ergonomically optimized room concept. Ceiling-mounted monitors enable the crystal-clear display of all image sources, while seamlessly integrated wall workstations—like the other monitors—provide direct access to clinical information systems and OR applications. Centralized control, a modernized user interface, and fully integrated technology reduce manual steps, create clear structures, and simultaneously simplify cleaning and maintenance processes. The new technology has now advanced to such an extent that it adapts flexibly to the team and the specific procedure—not the other way around—even in a sterile environment.
“For us, the new operating room represents a true milestone,” said Professor Sara Y. Brucker, Medical Director of the Tübingen Women’s Clinic. “The highly integrated and digitally networked infrastructure noticeably streamlines our workflows and helps us provide efficient care to our patients. The benefits of the system were already evident after the first procedures in the new environment.” Particularly impressive was how quickly the OR team could familiarize themselves with the system despite its high level of technological sophistication—a result of consistently user-centered development.
Reimagined documentation and digital workflows
A modern operating room is also a central source of data. OR1™ X Pro enables the continuous, automatic recording and archiving of high-quality image, video, and process data if required. This data forms the basis for precise documentation, quality assurance, and teaching, and is also designed to integrate future AI-supported applications. The goal is to further automate routine nonmedical tasks and provide lasting relief for OR staff—a crucial factor given the growing shortage of skilled personnel. The new system generation is therefore not only a technological advancement but also delivers clear benefits in everyday clinical practice. With an industrial-grade NVIDIA® GPU delivering 18,000 times more computing power than the previous model, the OR1™ integration platform is built for today while also being ready for tomorrow.
Close collaboration as a key to success
From KARL STORZ’s perspective, the installation in Tübingen underscores the company’s commitment to consistently integrating technological innovation with clinical practicality. Christy Gaudet further explained the OR1™ X Pro was designed in close collaboration with various healthcare partners around the world: “The result is an OR integration solution whose digital workflows immediately offer added value in everyday practice and can be flexibly adapted to different clinical requirements. We’re advancing toward a zero-touch future.” The new OR solution from KARL STORZ is developed from a user’s perspective to enable the whole surgical team to perform at their very best every day by leveraging newest technologies.
Ready for the surgical workplace of tomorrow
With the market launch of OR1™ X Pro in Europe, KARL STORZ underscores its role as an innovation partner for the next generation of surgical environments. The system is modular, scalable, and already prepared for future digital and AI-based applications. In addition to the installation in Tübingen, other state-of-the-art operating rooms are currently being built in Germany and Norway. OR1™ X Pro thus exemplifies a new generation of integrated operating rooms: more connected, intuitive, and efficient—with the clear focus on reducing the workload and supporting higher-quality patient care.
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KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG
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