Robot Surgery Risk Needs Disclosure as Injuries Rise

Many robotic surgeries involve a doctor utilizing a video-game-style console several feet from the patient, where he or she peers into a high-definition display.

Foot pedals and hand controls are often used to maneuver mechanical arms equipped with surgical tools, guided by a 3-D camera that shows the work as it is done inside a patient. A rising number of injuries linked to robotic surgery have been reported to Massachusetts health officials, spurring the state to call for better oversight on training and more disclosure to patients on potential risk.
Such complications can include:

• Creation of fistulas between organs
• Damage to other organs, vessels, and tissues
• Injuries resulting in bleeding

In one case a surgeon inadvertently left rectal tissue in the abdomen after a procedure for ulcerative colitis. In another case a patient undergoing a robotic hysterectomy and ovary removal experienced damage to the bowel and left ureter, requiring multiple corrective treatments.
Robotic surgeries can pose increased threats to patients. Swartz and Swartz, P.C. was one of the first law firms in the nation to file suit against improperly trained surgeons causing injury to patients while using a robotic device during surgery. If you believe you have been injured due to medical negligence or a mechanical defect during a robotics procedure, please contact one of the highly experienced medical malpractice and products liability attorneys at Swartz & Swartz, P.C. Our lawyers are here to answer your questions and discuss how to protect your legal rights. Call our Boston, Massachusetts office at (617) 742-1900, or toll-free at 1-800-545-3732.