PBS Report Asks If Hospitals, Are Regulators And Patients Getting Enough Information, Including Data On Da Vinci Robotic Surgery Complications, To Adequately Assess The Risks, Benefits Of Robotic Surgery.

The Da Vinci robot lawsuit lawyers at Wright & Schulte LLC took great interest in a recent report from PBS NewsHour that asked troubling questions about the costs and benefits of robotic surgery. Among other things, the report, which aired on November 1, 2013, pointed out that one recently published study found that Da Vinci robotic surgery complications may be underreported to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). According to Wright & Schulte LLC, the report raised serious questions regarding the risks and benefits associated with the Da Vinci Surgical System, and whether hospitals, regulators and patients are getting enough information to make informed decisions about robotic surgery.
[pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/11/mishaps-and-deaths-caused-by-surgical-robots-going-underreported-to-fda.html, PBS NewsHour, November 1, 2013]

“We rely on a haphazard reporting system that uses immature data and only the best experiences make it into the data,” Said Dr. Martin A. Makary, an associate professor of John Hopkins University and co-author of the study that found Da Vinci complications may be underreported, told PBS NewsHour.

According to the report, use of the Da Vinci Surgical System has grown rapidly since it was first introduced by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. in 2000. At least 1,400 of the systems are now installed in hospitals across the U.S., an increase of 75% between 2007 and 2011. For information on Da Vinci robotic surgery complications like our Da Vinci lawsuit page on Facebook.

In October, Intuitive Surgical disclosed that it was facing at least 50 Da Vinci robotic surgery lawsuits filed on behalf of individuals who allegedly sustained serious injuries in robotic surgery procedures that utilized the Da Vinci Surgical System. That same month, Bloomberg.com revealed that in the first eight months of this year, there had been a sharp rise in Da Vinci robot complication reports to the FDA. For its part, Intuitive Surgical said that the growing litigation surrounding the robot was responsible for the increase, as any Da Vinci surgery complications alleged in personal injury claims were required to be reported. In January, the FDA began to survey doctors who use the Da Vinci to determine if the increase in adverse event reports reflected a problem with the technology itself.
[bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-17/intuitive-s-profit-declines-on-lower-da-vinci-robot-sales.html, Bloomberg News, October 17, 2013]
[sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1035267/000119312513297410/d551118d10q.htm; SEC, July 22, 2013]

In March, the American Congress of Obstetrics & Gynecologists (ACOG) cited a lack of evidence indicating improved patient outcomes when it advised its members that robotic-assisted hysterectomy should not be the first choice for most women in need of the procedure.
[acog.org/About_ACOG/News_Room/News_Releases/2013/Statement_on_Robotic_Surgery, ACOG, March 14, 2013]

Wright & Schulte LLC is now offering free legal evaluations to alleged victims of Da Vinci surgery complications, including tears and burns of the intestines, torn blood vessels, excessive bleeding, infections, punctured or cut ureters, damaged bowels, or vaginal cuff dehiscence. For more information on filing a Da Vinci surgical robot lawsuit, or to arrange for a free legal consultation, please visit yourlegalhelp.com.

About Wright & Schulte LLC

Wright & Schulte LLC, an experienced personal injury firm, is dedicated to the belief that America’s legal system should work for the people. Every day, the attorneys of Wright & Schulte LLC stand up for the rights of people who have been injured or wronged and fight tirelessly to ensure that even the world’s most powerful corporations take responsibility for their actions. If you’re looking for a law firm that will guarantee the aggressive and personal representation you deserve, please do not hesitate to contact Wright & Schulte LLC today. Free case evaluations are available through yourlegalhelp.com or by calling 1-800-399-0795.