Da Vinci surgical robot has been under negative media and controversy. However, the CEO of its Intuitive Surgical, maker of the robotic device, Gary Guthart, attended and told the audience of J.P Morgan Chase 32nd Annual Healthcare Conference that the growing number of robotic surgeries conducted in the United States has to do increasing number of adverse reports linked to their flagship device, according to the online article published on MassDevice.com. He focused on the positive aspects of robotic surgery and that it is better and safer than traditional surgeries.
 
Contrary to the claim, injured patients may disagree to Mr.Guthart’s opinion about the safety and efficacy of the robotic device. Other studies believed that it offers a little or no benefits over other traditional minimal invasive surgeries.
 
 
READ MORE: Intuitive Surgical CEO Speaks About da Vinci Robot Adverse Effects

Commonly, patients with prostate cancer have two options to treat the condition: radiation therapy and robotic surgery. Robotic surgery for localized prostate cancer offers a significantly higher survival rate than either external-beam radiation or hormonal therapies, according to a study. Prostate surgery can be done in a number of different ways, but over the past 10 years, ‘robotic’ prostatectomy has become the most common approach and is now used for more than 80 percent of prostate removals in the U.S.  This procedure uses a mechanical arm and magnification system that is operated by the surgeon from a control panel set up in the operating room. This system allows the surgeon to have a better view of the prostate gland and surrounding structures and to remove the diseased gland; this is designed to decrease chances of causing harm to the adjacent normal tissues and organs.
 
The differences among therapies were more prominent at higher levels of cancer risk, and suggest, the researchers say, that in many cases surgery should play a greater role in treatment strategies for patients with prostate cancer that is likely to recur or spread.
 
Based on a patient’s goals, disease state, and health an appropriate treatment plan would be made. However, over the past decade the market place has become flooded with new technologies. Furthermore, patients are relying less on their physician to make the decision for them and are taking an active role. As newer therapies are introduced, patients are not always equipped to entangle marketing from medical facts.
 
There has been a great deal of controversy within the medical profession concerning the reliability, cost effectiveness and relevance of robotic surgery. To some medical professionals, it represents nothing more than the “Emperor’s new clothes” syndrome taken to extreme lengths. Or to put it more bluntly, the critics say that progress is made simply for the sake of making progress and that something new is automatically associated as being better.
 
Others argue that the usage of robotic surgery may still have some teething problems that need to be resolved but ultimately, the technology has a lot of potential and which could radically improve the efficiency and productivity of the profession as a whole.
 
In fact, the manufacturer of da Vinci surgical robot, Intuitive Surgical, has updated their financial disclosure for 2013. According to the report, the sales of surgical robots have decline while the use of robotic surgery had increased. The company is also faced with lawsuits filed by injured patients.
 
 
References:
 

• futuretechnology500.com/index.php/future-medical-technology/robotic-surgery-advantages-and-disadvantages/
  
• sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100806125518.htm
  
• socalurologyinstitute.com/blog/Prostate-Cancer-Awareness-Understanding-Treatment-Options.html
  
• jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6366:robotic-surgery-proven-to-be-the-best-choice-over-radiation-therapy&catid=104:health&Itemid=287
  

The Da Vinci surgical robot, an innovative surgical machine produced by Intuitive Surgical, Inc., has allegedly been associated with more than a few serious and lethal adverse effects. As a matter of fact, many Da Vinci patients in the United States and abroad have submitted complaints concerning the surgical machine. The amount of such criticisms has gradually been increasing from the time when the robotic system was first presented to the public. Intuitive Surgical vehemently denies that something is wrong with the Da Vinci surgical system. Growing evidence, however, shows that the Da Vinci surgical system does have shortfalls that might possibly lead to botched procedures and permanent damages.

The Da Vinci surgical robot was presented to the United States in the year 2000. Since its market approval, the surgical machine has been used in various complex operations, such as hysterectomies, gastric bypass surgeries, prostate removal surgery, heart surgeries, bladder removal surgery, and surgery for thyroid cancer. The company shows off the surgical system’s ability to carry out such surgical procedures in a minimally invasive approach. According to Intuitive, the Da Vinci system operates with minor incisions. Therefore, patients are projected to bleed less during surgery. Hence, their hospital stays will be shorter, and the medical bills will be reduced. While the Da Vinci surgical system is extremely expensive, most hospitals still rush to obtain this machine. In fact, the company, which costs $1 million – $2.5 million, was still be able to to sell thousands of units across the United States and Europe. According to medical experts, these hospitals are only purchasing the machine in order to lure in more patients instead of actually enhancing patient care. According to them, there is no sufficient evidence to show that the results of Da Vinci surgery are considerably superior to manual procedures.

Numerous problems have been associated with the Da Vinci surgical system, some of which may lead to patient deaths. Organ damage, burns, bowel injuries, internal hemorrhage, vaginal cuff dehiscence, sepsis, peritonitis, and punctured blood vessels, are among the reported complications of Da Vinci procedures. Patients showing symptoms of said complications may require further procedures to correct the problems. In certain circumstances, however, the damages may not be apparent, and will not show for days or even months after the initial procedure.

References:

• davincisurgery.com/da-vinci-surgery/safety-information.php
  
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Vinci_Surgical_System
  
• medscape.com/viewarticle/810490