Da Vinci Prostatectomy Risks
The da Vinci surgical robot has been lauded by many because of its use in many minimally invasive procedures, including but not limited to, hysterectomies and prostatectomies. Compared to traditional open surgeries, robotically-assisted surgeries can be less invasive, which leads to an overall faster healing process and, sometimes, less discomfort.
In an open prostate removal surgery, the physician would make an incision below the belly button.* Later, the surgeries began to be performed laparoscopically, where the surgeon would make many tiny incisions and direct instruments through those incisions in the patient’s abdomen.* The surgeon had to then view the patient’s prostate in 2-D on a screen in the operation room.* With the advent of surgical robots, high definition images in 3-D are used.* These make the surgery far more accurate than before.* Among the claims made by the manufacturer of the da Vinci robot, the company says that use of the robot in prostatectomy surgery leaves patients with less pain, less bleeding, less scarring, a lower risk of infection, shorter hospital stays, and a quicker return to urinary continence and sexual function.*
That said, robotically-assisted surgery takes twice as long and is more expensive than traditional types of prostate surgery.* In addition, some of the risks associated with robot-assisted prostatectomy include bladder tears, burns to internal organs, punctured blood vessels, cut ureters, excessive bleeding, impotence, and incontinence.* Furthermore, the long-term effectiveness of the surgery is still in question.* In conclusion, there are positive and negative aspects of undergoing prostate surgery with the da Vinci robot. While the robot’s manufacturer faces lawsuits from around the nation, only time will tell whether the robot will ultimately be determined to fair better than traditional methods of surgery.
If you or someone you know have been injured by the da Vinci robot, contact Audet & Partners, LLP by calling us toll free at 800.965.1461. Alternatively, please complete and submit our confidential inquiry form on the right side of this page. Please act now, since the law may limit your right to recovery if you delay.
* http://injurylawyer-news.com/davinci-robot/prostatectomy/
