Since 2012, the number of complaints, injuries, and deaths during procedures using the da Vinci Surgical System has risen to more than 500. Some of the most dangerous surgeries have been gynecological procedures, accounting for 22 out of 71 total da Vinci Surgical Robot deaths; hysterectomies alone account for 43% of complications.
The benefits of the da Vinci Surgical Robot include less invasive procedures and faster recovery time, and on average cost around $2,000 to $2,500 more than equivalent standard procedures. Personal injury lawyers and their clients are discovering, however, that the costs could be far more.
Despite the fact that more than one million procedures using the da Vinci Robot Surgical System have been completed, the number of reported complications was quite low, only 245. According to these numbers, the da Vinci Surgical Robot seems to be a very safe option. Unfortunately, a recent study shows that complications may be vastly under-reported.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University cross-referenced complications in the FDA database with databases for LexisNexis and PACER, and found discrepancies. They found that many da Vinci complications were reported incorrectly, not at all, or much later than the actual incident. In some cases, complications from da Vinci Robot Surgical Systems were not reported until more than 20 months later, or after media coverage shined a spotlight on them. Combined, these facts could point to fraud in reporting complications. Further investigation is needed to discern to what extent complications with the da Vinci Surgical Robot have been underreported.
If you or a loved one have experienced complications from the da Vinci Robot Surgical System, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately. The personal injury lawyers at Parilman and Associates are experienced in these types of cases, and will help you fight for justice you deserve.
