Da Vinci Robot Lawsuit
Everyone wants to enjoy the highest quality of health, which can sometimes mean the need for surgery. Many of us don’t like going under the knife for invasive procedures and even those who don’t mind it tend to appreciate the risks involved. That’s why the da Vinci Robot method of surgery was so popular within and outside of the medical community. Now, though, many believe that this method of surgery may actually hide some fairly worrisome risks.
What Is da Vinci Robot Surgery?
While you should have been informed about the nature of your surgery, it’s possible your surgeon used the da Vinci Robot method and you simply forgot or didn’t think it was something worth remembering in the first place.
In any case, the idea behind the da Vinci method was that small incisions could be used to bring about sizable results. That’s because the surgeon would use a combination of miniaturized instruments and a high-definition camera that would allow them to see the inside of a patient’s body in 3D.
Furthermore, the surgeon doesn’t even work at the operating table. Instead, they sit at the da Vinci console and work with a high-resolution image of the surgical site, presented in 3D and magnified. The surgeon’s hand movements are then translated with precision to the robot’s instruments. Although it is a robot, the doctor always remains 100% in control. Aside from the precise nature with which the machine allows a surgeon to exact their procedure, the mechanism also promised faster healing times.
You can probably now understand why this invention was greeted with so much fanfare. It represented the first real revolution in surgery in quite some time.
The Problem with the da Vinci Robot Surgery System
Over 10 years, the da Vinci system was used more than a million times in surgery here in the United States. Some 2,500 had been distributed at a cost of roughly $1.5 million apiece and thousands in maintenance costs. Obviously, the medical establishment had been won over.
However, then the lawsuits began rolling in. Patients claim that the machine actually made matters worse, not better and safer. They allege permanent injuries and, in some cases, family members have come forward and blamed the machine for their loved one’s death.
Lawsuits by patients and family members claim that the manufacturer, Intuitive, was responsible for undue harm because of a number of factors including:
- Over-promotion
- Negligence
- Preventable infections
- Permanent injuries
The main issue with the machine itself, though, seems to be the ease with which it can malfunction. Specifically, it allows electrical currents to slip outside the machine while it’s being used for surgery. When this electricity makes contact with the patient, they can wake up and eventually suffer from any number of problems. Usually, these post-operation problems are quite painful too. Unfortunately, surgeons are often unaware that this is even happening because the machine is actually obstructing their view.
Injuries blamed on the da Vinci machine include things like:
- Perforated intestines
- Painful abscesses
- Vaginal and prostate injuries/infections
As we mentioned above, sometimes these lead to permanent injuries or even disabilities. Other times, patients may even die.
Filing a Lawsuit Against Intuitive
If you believe you were harmed by this machine or that a loved one lost their life because of it, be sure to get in contact with an attorney immediately. Intuitive has already paid out millions of dollars, but that’s no guarantee you’ll get your cut without an experienced attorney going to bat for you.
Even if you’re unsure of whether or not you qualify, talking with an attorney will help set you straight. Once you better understand your chances for a lawsuit, you’ll feel better about proceeding.
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