Increase in Robotic Surgeries Isn’t Without Safety Concerns

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The advent of robot assisted surgery has been hailed by many technology advocates as a safer, more efficient manner of performing many types of operations. However, safety concerns about robotic surgery has also risen leaving health officials to question the safety of the new technology. According to an NBC report, “The majority of the hundreds of thousands of robotic surgeries performed in the U.S. each year are done safely. However, as use of the machine increases, so are reports of injuries: The U.S. Food and Drug administration has received more than 200 reports since 2007 of burns, cuts and infections – including 89 deaths — after robotic surgery. . .The FDA is looking into the issue to determine whether the growing number of injuries reported is simply because more robotic surgeries are being done, or if they’re being caused by the machine itself or by the surgeons, who, critics argue, may be given inadequate training.” Robotic surgery may be a beneficial and innovative way to perform medical procedures. However, proper training, good communication, and positive outcomes will ultimately determine the effectiveness of robots in the operating room.

Mark Abramson
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