Cyborg Surgery

The medical industry is one of excitement and constant evolution.  Almost daily we see the emergence of new products, devices, medications and practices that improve, and save, the lives of people around the world.  It is no surprise then, in this age of technology, that there has been a substantial rise in the production and use of robotic surgery devices.  One such device is the da Vince, which allows doctors to perform certain minimally invasive surgeries that would otherwise be impossible.  However, recent controversy has arisen over the safety of the device after reports surfaced of injuries related to its use.  According to an article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Surgical Robot Examined in Injuries,” there is no evidence that shows the injuries were related to machine malfunction but rather to error on the part of the surgeon.  Doctors who use the device agree that it does take a significant amount of experience to master; some say as many as 700 surgeries.  The device has seen success in larger hospitals where the volume of patients is much higher and the doctors have an opportunity to gain experience faster.  Smaller medical centers, however, are being pressured into buying the machines to remain competitive as patients are now favoring the hospitals that use them.  However, none of the injuries in surgeries where the da Vince was used can be proven as caused by the machine and experts say that doctor error and inadequate training is to blame.  Some doctors are reluctant to embrace the machine but it appears that it is fast becoming a standard tool of the trade.  It seems that the power of the da Vince, like any other tool, lies not in the machine, but in the hands of its operator.