In the last several years, there has been a huge increase in the number of surgeries performed with robotic devices, usually manufactured by one company that has aggressively marketed them to doctors and hospitals. In a robotic surgery, the doctor sits at a console away from the patient and uses hand and foot controls to move the instruments inside a patient’s body. The doctor can see the anatomy through a video feed.

Although touted as a more precise way of performing many surgical procedures, studies have not shown a significant increase in good surgical outcomes. A major worry is that doctors and hospitals are pressured to buy and use the devices because patients demand it based of the extensive advertising done by the manufacturer. There are also issues related to training on the machines and the number of surgeries needed before a doctor becomes proficient in using them.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed over poor outcomes and deaths that have occurred when the robotic device is used, with some of the lawsuits naming the manufacturer based on the aggressive advertising and marketing that has been done.

Here is a link to a recent article about this:

[Robot Surgery Damaging Patients Rises With Marketing][1]

[1]: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-08/robot-surgery-damaging-patients-rises-with-marketing.html “Robot Surgery Damaging Patients Rises With Marketing”