In an effort to help surgeons performing surgical procedures, Intuitive Surgical Inc. developed, manufactured and marketed the da Vinci Surgical System to hospitals and facilities across the globe. However, Tennessee da Vinci lawsuit attorneys note that plaintiffs are filling lawsuits against Intuitive, alleging that the robot is defective. Additionally, some plaintiffs are claiming that the manufacturer did not properly train or prepare surgeons on how to properly use the device.
Types of Procedures
While the system is most commonly used in gall bladder, gynecological and prostate procedures, more surgeons are finding the da Vinci robot to be useful in surgeries involving the heart and lungs. Using foot pedals and a joystick control, the surgeon operates the device and maneuvers it into a patient’s body. The control panel is what manipulates the arms, providing the surgeon with a three-dimensional, real-time image of what is happening inside the body. The arm also allegedly allows for a broader, more precise range of movement as it is intended to mimic the motions of a human arm; the surgeon is purportedly able to control it more carefully versus other traditional surgical methods.
Pros and Cons to the Robot
While the da Vinci Surgical System was intended to result in reduced blood loss, less bleeding and scarring and a quicker recovery period, plaintiffs and Tennessee da Vinci lawsuit attorneys allege that the robot is prone to failure and that physicians were not adequately trained to perform operations using the system.
According to recent reports, the manufacturer promoted the device as a piece of equipment that would help surgeons as it created movements that mimicked real-life motion. Currently, the robot is in place in over 2,000 facilities worldwide and has been the method of choice in over 450,000 surgeries in 2012 alone.
Plaintiffs and Tennessee Da Vinci Lawsuit Attorneys Allege Complications
After receiving reports about the potential for the robotic arm to inadvertently burn patients, Intuitive released a medical warning to surgeons acknowledging that the monopolar curved scissors attached to the arm may be prone to developing micro-cracks, compromising the integrity of the device. Intuitive described that a surgeon may not be able to clearly view these cracks depending on their location, yet they could potentially allow for the leakage of electricity and unintentional injury to the patient. However, Intuitive maintains that they had not received direct evidence of complications or injuries of patients; the letter was simply a precautionary warning to facilities.
Still, should the robotic arm cause injury to a patient without the surgeon’s knowledge, the surgeon may wrap up the procedure and assume that the surgery went well. However, one or two days later, plaintiffs have allegedly suffered from serious and life-threatening side effects; they are allegedly consulting with Tennessee da Vinci lawsuit attorneys to learn more about filing a lawsuit against Intuitive in efforts to seek compensation for their injuries.
Plaintiffs and Tennessee da Vinci lawsuit attorneys also allege that the manufacturer failed to properly train physicians to operate or handle the robot; while plaintiffs allege that Intuitive did offer to pay for a two-day training course for two surgeons at each facility, the manufacturer then allegedly left the rest of the training decisions up to each individual hospital. In other words, it was then the hospital’s decision whether it wanted to train more physicians or the specific number of hours of training it would require a physician to complete before allowing him or her to operate on a patient under no supervision.
Intuitive Allegedly Marketed the Robot Under False Statements
CNBC devoted an entire series to investigating the controversy surrounding Intuitive and its da Vinci robot. In one of the segments, the media mogul claims that the manufacturer used overly-aggressive marketing tactics to unjustly and unfairly increase sales of the system by insistently and forcefully targeting physicians and hospitals. Intuitive maintains that they never resorted to these tactics.
On the other hand, CNBC maintains that Intuitive did, in fact, use similar methods and referred to an email between various regional sales leaders and the company’s clinical sales director. In these correspondences, the director allegedly acknowledges that the company must sell a specific number of surgical systems by transforming current nonrobotic procedures into procedures that use the da Vinci robot. The recipients of the email allegedly agree, according to media reports, and offer suggestions to boost sales including dissuading facilities from using devices other than Intuitive’s product or by calling in favors to hospitals worldwide.
Additionally, Tennessee da Vinci lawsuit attorneys note that plaintiffs allege that Intuitive suggested that facilities lower the number of supervised surgeries they had previous required before a surgeon was permitted to use the device without supervision; with this tactic, Intuitive allegedly believed that more physicians could operate and increase the overall number of robotic-assisted surgeries performed at each facility.
Tennessee Da Vinci Lawsuit Attorneys Can Help
If you or someone you love underwent a robotic-assisted procedure with the da Vinci Surgical System and are now suffering from serious health complications or adverse side effects, and you believe it could be due to the use of the da Vinci Surgical System, Attorney Group for Tennessee can answer questions you may have. We will review your case and help to determine if you have a valid claim. We will also connect you with professional Tennessee da Vinci lawsuit attorneys who will work to help you file for compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages and medical bills. So if you have questions or just aren’t sure about the next step in taking legal action, contact Attorney Group for Tennessee today for your free consultation.
