Da Vinci Robot May Cause Serious Complications for Patients Receiving Hysterectomies and Other Procedures, Reports Surgical News
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The da Vinci Surgical System, a robotic device used across the country to perform hysterectomies on patients, has come under recent criticism from both medical professionals and insurance companies.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has been firmly opposed to the robot for the potential hazards it presents to patients. Also, one insurance company, Kaiser Insurance, has also written about concerns related to the use of robotic devices.
The criticism is primarily rooted in evidence that the robot has caused complications for a number of individuals, including cuff dehiscence and bladder injuries. One of the da Vinci Surgical System’s critics has been Dr. Susan K. Mueller, a board-certified practicing physician who was named the Top Surgeon in America in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2007 by the Consumers’ ResearchCouncil of America. Dr. Mueller has an in-depth article outlining the potential dangers of robotic surgery for hysterectomies. She also expresses concerns that the maker of the da Vinci Surgical System has engaged in paid online marketing tactics to ensure that negative comments about the robot do not appear at the top of users’ search results.
These concerns have not gone unnoticed in the legal community, and increasing numbers of attorneys are seeking individuals who have experienced complications. They are particularly interested in speaking with people who have undergone prostatectomies, hysterectomies, cardiac surgeries and prostate, kidney, esophagealor pancreatic cancer procedures.
“There are over 600,000 hysterectomies alone performed each year, and the potential number of cases is staggering,” said Conn. “There are strict deadlines for filing claims against the manufacturer of this robotic device. This is the reason we are urging people who have been affected to come forward immediately to learn about their legal options.”
Legal representatives for the plaintiffs of these cases originally sought to have them centralized to California, where Intuitive Surgical, the maker of the DaVinci Robot, is headquartered. However, on August 3, 2012 the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation rejected a request to move the da Vinci Surgical System product liability lawsuits from various parts of the country to the single location.
Those who wish to explore their options for seeking compensation after complications resulting from the da Vinci Surgical System should visit http://www.davincirobotcase.com/ to request an information packet about the da Vinci Robot.