Robotic surgery sounds like the way of the future, but it may be more dangerous than physicians would care to admit. That is why the FDA is currently investigating the prospects of robotic surgeries using a multi-arm machine that is affectionately known as da Vinci. Da Vinci is a multi-million dollar machine that was used in nearly 400,000 surgeries last year. It is the only robot that is authorized for use in soft tissue surgeries, and was used in triple the amount of surgeries last year as it was four years earlier.
The robot can be controlled by a computer, so surgeons can sit at the control station and dictate what maneuvers the robot should use. Many surgeons say that the robot removes the risk of human error and will enhance safety while performing intricate surgeries for men and women all throughout America. Yet the robot has not been flawless, and in some circumstances individuals have been injured, killed, or put at risk to danger because of the robots malfunctions.
Some doctors say that the robot is being used more often because of its "wow" factor and that there is not enough research to prove that using the robot is more effective or safer than a traditional surgery. Some U.S. hospitals are promoting the use of robotic surgery and placing information about da Vinci in their patient brochures and online advertisements. Doctors say that by attracting interest in the robotic surgeries, they hope that they can get patients who will opt for this type of surgical procedure and in turn help pay for the costs of da Vinci.
Da Vinci is used for a variety of different operations, including shrinking stomachs, replacing heart valves, removing wombs, gall bladders and prostates, and transplanting organs. These are all very serious surgeries that take extreme precision and care. Surgeons say that da Vinci helps them to complete safe surgeries without becoming too fatigued. As well, some advocates for the robots say that they can minimize bleeding and patients are often sent home sooner when they are treated with the robot rather than with a conventional surgery.
Yet despite praise for the robot, the FDA is concerned. In fact, the FDA says that they have learned of some concerning reports and now want to inspect the effectiveness of the robot. In the past year, there have been at least five deaths associated with da Vinci surgeries. The FDA says that there may have been even more injuries and deaths with the device than reported because the doctors who use the robot are not required to report injuries that have happened because of it, instead the device makers and hospitals are required to do that job.
Last year, there were 367,000 robot-assisted surgeries conducted in the United States. Since January 2012, there have been 500 reports of dangerous events pertaining to the robot. One person in 2012 died after the robot nicked a blood vessel and she bled to the death. Another man died after a robotic spleen surgery in 2007. In another instance, a robot would not let go of tissues and the surgeons had to shut down and reboot the entire system before the robot would let go of the patient's tissue and the surgery could be completed.
Another time a robotic arm slapped a patient in the face, causing the surgeons to switch to another operation method. Almost 1,400 hospitals in the United States have a da Vinci system. If you have been harmed by this machine during a surgery, then you need to locate a medical malpractice attorney near you and seek compensation.