New York, NY, United States, October 23, 2013 -- da Vinci surgical robot maker Intuitive Surgical failed to meet revenue estimates following a third-quarter drop in sales, which a Bloomberg article at least partly attributes to persistent questions about the effectiveness of using the da Vinci for surgeries such as hysterectomies and prostate removals. The da Vinci Lawsuit Information Center notes that in addition to questions posed by news outlets, there are research studies that indicate issues with Intuitive’s surgical robot system.

According to Bloomberg, Intuitive’s revenue decreased about seven percent amid scrutiny of the marketing and effectiveness of its da Vinci robot, which costs about $1.5 million per unit. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also been surveying surgeons about the rise in adverse events reports, the article said.

Research studies have shown no benefit of robotic surgery over other types of surgery. Outcomes from hysterectomies that use the da Vinci opposed to laparoscopic surgery were similar, but with one major difference: patients involved in da Vinci surgeries were at an increased risk of pneumonia, according to a study published in the September 2013 edition of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The da Vinci features four robotic arms with precision tools and cameras that intended to allow a surgeon to perform certain procedures less invasively than the traditional method. The device has been found to cause potentially dangerous side effects, such as internal burns, nerve damage and lacerations, according to a Sept. 9 New York Times report. The da Vinci has been linked to 74 deaths, according to the Times. Intuitive recently initiated a class-2 recall of about 30 da Vinci units because of potential safety compliance issues, according to a July 12 Bloomberg story.

The da Vinci Lawsuit Information Center encourages those who believe that their da Vinci robotic surgery has harmed them to visit its website for a free confidential case evaluation.

bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-17/intuitive-s-profit-declines-on-lower-da-vinci-robot-sales.html

journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/publishahead/Comparison_of_Robotic_and_Laparoscopic.99682.aspx

well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/new-concerns-on-robotic-surgeries/?_r=0

bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-12/intuitive-surgical-may-not-have-tested-devices-properly.html

Intuitive Surgical asserts that it is fully committed to superior training opportunities for surgeons and surgical teams in the use of its products, but notes that it does not participate in determining when a surgeon is adequately prepared to operate using the da Vinci Surgical System.

Contact:
Aaron M Vehling
da Vinci Lawsuit Informat
New York, NY 10036
646-558-2291
[email protected]
http://davinci-lawsuit.org/