Study: Hospitals Promote Robot Surgery for Women

A new study suggests that hospital websites market the use of robotic surgery without relaying the risks to patients.

Researchers from Columbia University went through online data from 432 hospitals across the U.S. and found that almost 50 percent marketed robotic surgery for women’s gynecologic conditions, including cervical cancer and endometriosis, according to Reuters Health.

About 25 percent of the hospitals used wording straight from the manufacturer’s website and one in six used the statement “you owe it to yourself.” They also found that few hospitals mentioned possible negative aspects of robotic surgery such as the higher price or longer operating time associated with the robots.

Furthermore, researchers found that most hospitals described robotic surgery as having several benefits, but never mentioned clinical trials to support their claims.

The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, supports another study from last year that found online materials from hospitals “overestimate benefits, largely ignore risks and are strongly influenced by the manufacturer.”

Robotic surgery is now used in hundreds of thousands of procedures annually. However, a number of product liability lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of these medical devices. For instance, Intuitive Surgical is currently involved in litigation involving its Da Vinci surgical robot.

 If you or a loved one has been injured by an unsafe medical device, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to find out if a product liability lawyer may be able to help you. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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