About 24 percent of all surgical mistakes are caused by technology problems or equipment failure, according to research recently published in BMJ Quality and Safety. The study is alarming, as the use of complex technology in the operating room has risen dramatically....
Surgical Errors
Study: Procedure For Robotic Surgery Needs Safety Upgrade
Robotic surgical systems have recently come under scrutiny after many patients have suffered poor outcomes. Lawsuits allege that surgeons, hospitals and robotic device manufacturers, such as Intuitive Surgical, Inc., all bear blame for botched procedures. Fortunately,...
JAMA Study: Surgery Errors Boost Hospital Profits
A comprehensive medical study found that U.S. hospitals increase their profit margins when patients suffer surgery errors or complications. The research examined the cases of nearly 35,000 surgery patients and found that those with private insurance who suffered...
Sales Of Da Vinci Surgical System Often Put Patients At Risk
If you have a scheduled surgery you may want to call your doctor to make sure you aren't going to be his or her "guinea pig" for learning a new, robotic surgical system. It's happened to thousands of patients, who only become aware of it after they are seriously...
Study: Post-Surgical Mistakes Alarmingly Common
A recent study revealed that post-operative mistakes are disturbingly common. U.K. researchers examined 659 days of post-surgical care and found 256 mistakes. Even more troubling, these errors caused harm to the patient most of the time (51 percent). The...
Proposed Kidney Transplant Rules Aim To Eliminate Organ Waste
More than 90,000 Americans are on the kidney transplant waiting list. In 2011, more than 4,700 patients on this list died because they didn't receive a donor kidney. The statistics paint a clear picture: Donor kidneys are desperately needed to save lives. This is why...
4,000 Objects Left In Patients After Surgery Each Year In U.S.
Every surgical operation comes with risks, but most hospitals work hard to minimize complications within their control. However, one mistake that can easily be eliminated continues to victimize thousands of U.S. patients. Items such as sponges, gauze or surgical...
Surgical Clips Misused In Kidney Transplants With Fatal Results
The world's top doctors will tell you that a successful surgery needs more than just steady hands and experience. Detailed preparation is the foundation of any operation, yet kidney donor recipients are frequently becoming the victims of a deadly oversight by surgical...
Da Vinci system proves dangerous in the hands of some surgeons
The da Vinci Surgical System is a robotic instrument that allows surgeons to create tiny incisions in their patients. The device purportedly allows surgeons to create incisions with a level of accuracy that cannot be achieved by the traditional tools of hands and a...
Study: 15 percent of surgeons have drinking problems
A successful surgeon needs steady hands and good judgment, two things not commonly associated with doctors who have drug and alcohol problems. That makes the results of a recent medical study particularly unsettling for patients across the nation....