Robotic Surgery and Prostate Cancer, Is It the Best Answer?

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Shapiro Law Group

The development of medical equipment and technology is a long and detailed process, as every product is put through rigorous sets of tests to ensure that the side effects are limited to a controlled few. However, there are instances in which an approved device may be detrimental to patients later.

We recently posted a blog on one such piece of medical equipment, the power morcellator, and now we turn our attention to robotic surgeries for prostate cancer.

Dr. Bert Vortsman MD, a Board Certified urological surgeon specializing in prostate cancer, has recently challenged the robotic surgical system that is in place for prostatectomies.

Dr. Vortsman describes the robotic procedure for prostatectomies as a “boondoggle” for healthcare. He states, “Most men with a prostate cancer label are over-treated for zero benefit, resulting in a trail of broken patients with bad postoperative outcomes including urinary incontinence and impotence.”

According to Vortsman, a lack of sincere regulatory oversight has generated many product liability lawsuits, which would likely translate into medical malpractice claims.

Unfortunately, what some doctors see today is the concern of lining pocketbooks over that of patients when looking at the stark reality that robotic surgery presents.

Many patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer already have a very difficult time trying to make the right decision with the excess of conflicting information that is currently out.

Backed by other healthcare professionals, Dr. Bert Vortsman asserts that “the approval of robotics for prostate cancer treatment is yet another shining example of junk science and greed influencing ‘new research’ to justify old, ill-conceived treatment philosophies.”

With emerging and innovative medical technologies, we have to carry the same concern and awareness that we do with traditional medical treatment. We cannot simply place trust in a robotic procedure because it is the most recent development. Robotic surgery can still be the cause of a surgical mistake, birth injury or catastrophic personal injury.

Did You Know: There were 367,000 robotic surgeries in 2013, an increase of over 250,000 from 2008.

Shapiro Law Group – Medical Malpractice Attorneys Serving the Tampa Bay Area

Source: http://www.healthtechzone.com/topics/healthcare/articles/2014/08/07/385926-florida-doctor-questions-efficacy-robotic-surgeries-prostate-cancer.htm

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