Bloomberg News reports surgeries performed by robots are increasing, “fueled by aggressive marketing by doctors, hospitals and Intuitive Surgical Inc.,” the $1.5 million robot’s manufacturer. Advertising for the procedure was found on physician and hospital websites and other forums, claiming “fewer complications without proof,” and ignoring “contradictory studies finding no advantage in some cases.” According to a complaint made in April to the Colorado Medical Board, 10 patients treated between 2008 and 2011 by Warren Kortz, a general surgeon at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, suffered some sort of complication from robotic surgeries, including torn arteries, nerve damage and even objects being left inside patients. Since 2010, the number of robotic surgeries has increased nearly 60%. Bloomberg’s February report indicated that the FDA was watching over surgeons after adverse events occurred pertaining to robotic surgeries, including 70 deaths in 2009, and the number of injuries accompanying robotic surgeries have more than doubled within the first eight months of this year.
From the American Association for Justice news release.
