Based in Sunnyvale, California, Intuitive Surgical Inc. is the company responsible for the design, marketing and manufacturing of the talked-about da Vinci Surgical System. Intuitive markets the product as a method to perform minimally-invasive surgeries on patients while providing reduced pain, smaller incisions, reduced blood loss and faster recovery times. The technology behind the system starts at a surgeon’s console which features a multiple robotic arms, a patient-side cart and EndoWrist instruments.
Despite its alleged benefits, injured patients are seeking representation from Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys who are experienced in handling product liability claims. Plaintiffs allege that the device is flawed and that the robotic arms may often act uncontrollably and burn or cauterize nearby organs.
What Happens During a Surgery?
The surgeon places the robotic arms inside the patient by making small incisions in the body. The surgeon then moves the control to operate the arms; the technology transforms the physician’s hand motions into real-time, responsive movements of the machine. The da Vinci robot also provides clear, three-dimensional images as the physician works, showing angles and images that a physician may not otherwise be able to see.
It is estimated that 1,371 hospitals of over 2,000 worldwide are located in the United States. Intuitive released a statement estimating that last year, in 2012, its product was used in more than 450,000 procedures. While the device was originally approved in 2000 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for gynecological surgeries, prostate removal and soft-tissue procedures, the robot is currently used in a variety of other treatments such as gall bladder removals and surgeries involving the lungs, thyroid, colon, pancreas and heart.
Although the number of procedures performed annually are climbing and surgeons are finding new procedures in which to use the device, numerous medical organizations, experts in the community, plaintiffs and Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys are all critical of the effectiveness of the da Vinci Surgical System. In fact, some state that the benefits do not necessarily outweigh the risks and that patients would receive the same level of treatment from a traditional surgery.
Intuitive has also been allegedly criticized for a purported failure to adequately train physicians. While Intuitive agreed to cover a two-day training session for one or two doctors at each facility, the manufacturer then allegedly left the training decisions up to the staff at each hospital. Patients and Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys allege that while some facilities followed through with strict regulations and training courses for anyone who was to operate the system, others did not require surgeons to undergo any training at all before allowing them to perform procedures using the da Vinci robot.
Intuitive Faces Lawsuits Across the Country
Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys note that over 26 pending da Vinci lawsuits were taking place across the country as of May 2013. These cases allege that patients suffered from severe and life-threatening side effects either while a procedure was performed or days following the completion of a surgery. Plaintiffs are also alleging that the system caused excessive bleeding, bowel injuries and cut ureters, and a few plaintiffs are filing wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of family members they lost due to surgical complications.
Additionally, the pending lawsuits include claims of injuries that may have been the result of errors caused by insufficient training programs for the surgeons. Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys are handling claims that the da Vinci Surgical System caused a higher risk of surgeon error including the inadvertent cutting, cauterizing or burning of tissues in otherwise healthy areas. Other injuries alleged by plaintiffs include damage to the:
- Vaginal cuff
- Blood vessels
- Arteries
- Ureters
- Bladder
- Bowel
Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys are also assisting plaintiffs who allege that the manufacturer was not completely honest with the public or the medical community about the potential complications surrounding the da Vinci robot. These allegations include claims that Intuitive wanted to boost their stock value and inflated their price by misleading or withholding information that would otherwise be detrimental to the company. Lawsuits claim that the prices did not accurately reflect Intuitive or the da Vinci robot.
Since January 2012, the FDA has received over 500 adverse event reports that allegedly occurred during a robotic-assisted surgery or after the patient had been discharged. Unfortunately, some plaintiffs and their Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys feel that hospitals did not relay all of the risks to patients prior to surgery in an effort to recoup some of the cost they had paid to obtain the $2 million system. In other words, had patients been made more aware of complications, they may not have chosen to undergo robotic-assisted surgeries, and the hospital would have lost money in the long run.
Georgia Da Vinci Lawsuit Attorneys Can Help
If you or a loved one suffered from serious side effects or complications and you feel that your condition is the result of the da Vinci Surgical System, contact Attorney Group for Georgia. We will review your case free of charge and help answer questions you may have pertaining to the device or filing a lawsuit. Should you have a valid claim, we will connect you with professional Georgia da Vinci lawsuit attorneys who will handle your case. Our goal is to help you understand your legal rights, and take the guesswork out of finding an attorney to handle your case. So contact Attorney Group for Georgia today for your free consultation.
