Tennessee Medical Malpractice Attorneys Discuss Robotic Surgery Errors

In recent years it has become more popular to use medical robots to aid in surgeries and make them less invasive.  During these surgeries, doctors will sit at a video game-like console several feet away from the patient and watch a high-definition display.  The doctor uses foot pedals and hand controls to maneuver mechanical arms that are equipped with surgical tools.  A camera provides the doctor with a three dimensional view of their work inside the patient.

United States regulators have been watching surgeries that have an option to use robots in order to verify their safety.  The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has asked for input from surgeons to determine what complications they have observed through the use of the machines.  Doctors have been surveyed so that the best types of procedures for robotic surgery can be identified.  The answers the doctors provide may determine whether these less invasive robotic surgeries are actually worth the extra costs.

Nearly 500,000 procedures have been performed where the machines have been used.  Several types of surgeries were conducted with medical robots including prostate removals, gynecological procedures, and heart surgery.  Overall, robots can help steady and guide a surgeon’s hand where it normally would never be able to go.  Removing tissue or making incisions is now an incredibly precise task.

However, this is not without some complications.  Adverse effects reported as being associated with robotic surgeries include burns to vessels and organs as well as damage to bowels and ureters.  These errors were attributed to the users rather than malfunction of the technology itself.  Often times the doctor does not undergo the proper training before using the robot during surgery.  Either or, these can be considered instances Tennessee medical malpractice where a doctor’s care of a patient is going below the accepted standard of care of that patient.

As the number of robotic surgeries increases so does the number of surgical error injuries associated with that type of surgery.  In 2009, twenty-four injuries were reported and eleven deaths.  In 2012, there were 115 injuries reported and thirty deaths.  These numbers likely are low, as many injuries go unreported.  This rise in adverse events associated with robotic surgeries is not necessarily alarming given the sharp increase in the number of surgeries where robots are used.  When the error and mortality rates of regular surgeries are compared to that of robotic surgeries, the figures for surgeries that use robots is relatively small.

Even though there are lower number of errors and mortality rates when robots are used during surgery, errors still result, leading to Tennessee medical malpractice lawsuits.  When there is a failure of a health care provider to act in accordance with the acceptable professional practice and injury or death results, that health care provider committed medical malpractice.  Therefore, since a medical practitioner is still in control of the medical robots, any improper use of the equipment can still be considered negligence.

Generally, a victim of Tennessee medical malpractice only has one (1) year from the date the injury occurred to file a claim for medical malpractice in Tennessee.  Give the tight time frame, if you have been a victim of medical malpractice you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible to determine if you have a case.

Here at Bailey and Greer, PLLC our Tennessee medical malpractice lawyers understand how to effectively pursue your claims.  Our legal team has a proven track record of compassionately representing our clients injured in Tennessee personal injury cases which is included in our testimonials page and our successful case results.  Please contact us today to receive your free case evaluation by dialing 901-680-9777.