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Medical Malpractice: Did Robotic Surgery Perforate Your Loved One's Intestines?

3 September 2015

Celina Henry

Over the past or so decade, new medical advancements and technology changed the way many physicians perform surgery. One of the newest advances is robotic surgery. Although robotic surgery boasts faster healing and recovery times for patients, a number of people experienced complications during surgery, including perforated intestines.

If this happened to your loved one, speak to a medical malpractice attorney. The attorney can help you win the compensation your family deserves. Here's what you should know about the dangerous effects of robotic surgery and what your attorney can do to win your case.

What's Robotic Surgery and How Does it Cause Injuries?

A number of hospitals now use robotic surgery to assist surgeons during complex but procedures, such as hysterectomies, knee resurfacing and mitral valve repair. Surgeons use special 3-D computer programs and a robotic arm to perform the procedures.

Although surgeons control the movements and actions of the robotic arm with special sensors and commands, most problems occur when the tools attached to the arm cut, perforate or burn the internal organs and tissues of patients. In numerous malpractice cases involving robotics, the arm or its parts malfunction during surgery. The electrical parts attached to the arm spark fire or electricity, or the arm itself moves in the wrong direction and punctures a nearby body tissue or organ.

If the surgeon controlling the robotic arm lacks the proper training and qualifications to operate it, injuries occur during surgery. The surgeon operating on your loved one may not know exactly how to navigate or command the robotic arm correctly because they didn't spend sufficient time training to use it, or the surgeon decided to use the equipment for the very first time. As a result, your loved one suffered a dangerous and life-threatening injury.

To strengthen and prove your case, your medical malpractice attorney must show that the robotic arm or the surgeon controlling it caused your loved one's perforated intestines. 

Who's at Fault for Your Loved One's Injuries?

Determining who or what's at fault for your loved one's perforated intestines isn't easy for your attorney. The attorney needs to rule out certain things in order to show that the robotic arm or surgeon caused your loved one's injuries.

For example, the surgeon can pull your family member's medical records to see if they have an underlying medical condition that could possibly lead to perforated intestines. If not, then your loved one's lawyer may run a medical background check on the surgeon's credentials and training. If the surgeon lacks previous schooling or courses in robotic medical surgeries, the attorney adds this pertinent information to the case.

The attorney can also examine or investigate the robotic equipment to see if it has a history of problems before or after its manufacturer presented it to the hospital. For instance, the attorney may want to know if the robotic equipment experienced:

• Malfunctioning parts in the arm, including faulty electrical wiring  
• Unsuccessful or failed trials and tests prior to distribution
• Problems following command codes and prompts

If the equipment experiences any of the above problems and the hospital continues to use it, your attorney can use this information against them. Once your loved one's attorney gathers the information and evidence they need, they can move forward with the case.

How Does Your Loved One's Current Health Influence the Case?

If your loved one's injuries created other health complications that limit their ability to eat, sleep or work, the attorney can add this information to the case. Perforated intestines may require additional surgery to repair, which increases your family member's medical care expenses. Also, if your family member needs therapy to learn how to eat properly because of the damage to their intestines, the attorney can ask for compensation for the treatment during the case as well. 

It's important that your loved one continue their medical care throughout the case. The medical malpractice attorney can give you and your loved one further advisement on what to do until the case closes. If you or your loved one need additional information about your case, visit this hyperlink or others to contact a medical practice lawyer today.

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