DaVinci Surgical Robot Lawsuits
There are thousands of surgeries performed daily throughout the United States. Most are performed correctly with no issues such as equipment malfunctions, surgical malpractice or injury to the patient. However, recently there have been severe injuries inflicted on the patient due to the DaVinci Surgical Robot. There has been a surge in the number of complaints of complications from this medical device. Common injuries seen with the DaVinci robot are burns, punctured vessels or organs, excessive bleeding and deaths. In response to the rise in complaints and concern over the safety of its use, the FDA has launched an investigation to determine whether the products manufacturer, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. is responsible for the allegations in the complaints.
Injury Risks Associated With DaVinci Robot
Intuitive warned hospitals in May, 2013 that a component used in its DaVinci surgical robot system may be putting patients at risk for burn injuries. The component are the robot’s surgical scissors termed Hot Shears. These scissors are used to cut and coagulate abdominal tissue during various surgeries. According to the company’s urgent notification, some versions of the system’s Hot Shears may be prone to small cracks, potentially creating a pathway for an electro-surgical charge. Unfortunately, the cracks may not be visible. The company has already received one report of injury linked to a cracked instrument. Despite the risk, the company has elected not to recall the Hot Shears and announced that it would begin to remove the affected instruments from hospitals when a replacement becomes available. It is estimated that this will begin between two to four weeks from the date of the company’s notification.
Uses of the DaVinci Surgical Robot
The DaVinci surgical robot, manufactured by Intuitive Surgery, is an alternative surgical method to laparoscopic procedures and has increasingly gained popularity with hospitals since its FDA approval in 2000. The robot is designed to perform minimally invasive surgery in procedures including urologic, laparoscopic, gynecological and non-cardio thoraco-scopic surgical procedures.
Some examples in which the robot has been chosen over its alternative procedure, laparoscopic surgery, include:
-Hysterectomies (both complete & partial)
-Uterine fibroid treatment
-Kidney disorders
-Prostatectomies (Prostate removal surgery)
-Endometriosis treatment
-Gastric by-pass surgery
It is often chosen by hospitals and doctors over laparoscopic surgery due to Intuitive’s claims that the procedure is as safe as laparoscopic surgery, yet reduces recovery time in patients.
There have been no conclusive studies showing the DaVinci robot is a better or safer choice for doctors performing minimally invasive procedures—in fact, there are many signs that indicate its negative attributes outweigh its benefits. Costs of the robot significantly outweigh those of laproscopic surgeries, surgery takes longer, and recovery times have not been proven to be substantially shorter than other similar procedures. In addition, there is no concrete data reiterating that the robot is a safer or better choice than other minimally invasive procedures. In the legal community it is felt that a lack of testing prior to distribution is the culprit for many of the complications which have arisen. Due to this sentiment, and the accompanying injuries resulting from use of the device, there has been a significant increase in medical malpractice and defective product lawsuits recently.
Allegations and Complaints Against DaVinci Robot
Despite the popularity of the DaVinci surgical robot, the number of complaints concerning complications stemming from the use of the device have been on the rise. Complaints against the manufacturer allege design flaws in the device including un-insulated surgical arms that cause burns, as well as electrical currents that can deviate from the intended surgical route to healthy organs and tissue, damaging them in the process. Additionally, the complaint alleged the manufacturer of failing to warn healthcare professionals and potential patients of the risks that can be involved in its use.
Most DaVInci robot lawsuits are due to complications or surgical errors that include, but are not limited to, burns, broken, lacerated or punctured blood vessels, uterus lacerations, tearing of the intestines, internal hemorrhaging and death.
Complications and injuries resulting from the use of the DaVinci surgical robot are not always evident immediately after the procedure is completed. They can sometimes take days to manifest and this uses up valuable time which could be used to treat the injury. This can delay treatment and in some instances, result in wrongful death. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the use of the DaVinci Surgical Robot in in any state please contact our mass tort injury lawyers to discuss your case. According to your states personal injury law you may be entitled to benefits and financial compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses and missed time at work.
Contact Our Attorneys Handling DaVinci Surgical Robot Lawsuits
Regardless of what state you were injured in our team of and wrongful death attorneys can help as they are investigating DaVinci Surgical Robot lawsuits in all 50 states and Washington D.C. including: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin.