Death: The Most Serious Complication of Robotic Surgery

Despite being a popular, state-of-the-art and unique form of surgery, robotic-assisted surgery has gained negative issues, with death as the most serious complication a patient can potentially experienced. The computerized technology allows the surgeon to control laparascopic instruments that are attached to robotic arms while viewing the procedure in three dimension, unlike traditional open surgeries. Between January 2000, and August 2012, thousands of adversities were reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the vast majority of cases, the patient was not harmed, but among the reports were 174 injuries and 71 deaths related to da Vinci surgery, according to online sources.


Da Vinci surgical robotic system, a product of Intuitive Surgical, has been widely used to assist the doctor during complex surgical procedures. The FDA has approved da Vinci for general laparascopic surgeries in 2000. It has been on the market for more than a decade and more than a million procedures have been performed with it.


The benefits offered by robotic surgery seems unclear to health experts. The consequence is that little is known of the real disadvantages of the equipment, and the injuries and deaths it may cause, even as robotic surgery is widely marketed to consumers.


FDA officials said in a statement that the agency has issued warning letters in the past when facilities have failed to report, and that the agency can take further regulatory actions like injunctions.

References:

• bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-29/intuitive-robot-patient-s-death-hastened-by-surgery-doctor-says.html
• medscape.com/viewarticle/810490
• theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/flags-raised-over-complications-arising-from-robotic-surgery/article14225690/
• mobile.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/New+concerns+over+robotic+surgery+may+end+practice/-/1950774/1994866/-/format/xhtml/-/15l83pm/-/index.html