Robotic Hysterectomy Patient Sues Intuitive Surgical for Injuries

Louisiana plaintiff Shonette Matthews is suing Intuitive Surgical for the injuries she allegedly sustained from their robotic da Vinci Surgical System.  The plaintiff alleges that she sustained heavy physical, emotional and financial injuries as a direct result of using the robotic system to perform her hysterectomy surgery.

Matthews had opted to use the da Vinci Surgical System for her partial hysterectomy procedure on March 11, 2011, to treat her endometriosis.  This condition causes the cells from the lining of the uterus to detach themselves from the uterine wall, by implanting themselves out of the uterine entirely and continuing to grow.  The da Vinci Surgical System was used to remove her cervix and three cysts from her right ovary, to treat this condition.

However, a month following the robotic hysterectomy procedure, Matthews experienced abdominal pain and impaired mobility.  Medical examination revealed that the plaintiff suffered severe internal injuries in vaginal canal; the plaintiff continues to be prescribed pain medication for this condition to this day.  This has incurred significant emotional and financial stress in the plaintiff’s life.

Matthews was not aware of the shortcomings of the surgical system used in her initial surgery, until a TV commercial discussing the product’s deficiency aired in 2013.  Matthews is suing Intuitive Surgical for not warning her or her surgeons about the possible complications that could have arisen during her procedure.

Matthews is also suing Intuitive Surgical for manufacturing, selling, distributing, and marketing an alleged dangerous product. The charges include: negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

Overview of da Vinci Hysterectomy Complications

Initially developed by the United States for use in military purposes, robotic technology was eventually adapted for medical usage in the 1990s.  Intuitive Surgical developed the da Vinci Surgical System for small, difficult, and precise surgeries which required difficult incisions.  The surgical system is typically used for:

• Thoracoscopic surgery
• Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy
• Thoracoscopically-assisted cardiotomy procedures
• Mitral valve repair surgery
• Totally endoscopic atrial septal defect
• Gynecological laparscopic procedures

The da Vinci surgical system is made up of three or four arms connected to a remote console located several feet from the surgical table.  This device is controlled similarly to a video game control console, using a monitor with three-dimensional displays, hand controls, a foot petal, and other features which allow the surgeon control over the procedure.

While surgeons who have used the device majorly report good results, they complain that they were not sufficiently trained enough, and that device failure was a constant worry.  The defendant company advertises this device as: safer method compared to traditional surgery, easy to use, and is cost effective.

The plaintiff’s injuries are a direct contradiction to these claims, along with the promotional materials misrepresenting the safety and efficiency of the device.  The da Vinci Surgical System has been proven to be inefficient through various points of its operation.  Most famously: the monopolar electrical current the device uses to cut, burn, and cauterize tissue during surgical procedures, whereas traditional methods would arguably be much safer for the patient.

Additionally, the insulation on the metal shafts of the device itself soon become worn without the awareness of the surgeon, allowing the electrical current to pass into the patient’s tissue outside of the operated area, causing extra damage.  On May 08, 2013, the defendant company issued a medical device notification to the public, warning patients and physicians of possible complications.

However, da Vinci robot lawsuits reveal that the defendant company either knew or should have known about these issues, as early as 2000.  This has sparked outcry from the medical community, and has caused a wave of product liability lawsuits to be filed against the company.

The current da Vinci robot lawsuit is  Shonette Matthews vs. Intuitive Surgical Inc., Case No. 2:13-cv-06811-ILRL-SS, in the United States District Court of Eastern Louisiana.

File a da Vinci Robot Lawsuit Today

If you or a loved one were injured following robotic surgery performed by the da Vinci Surgical System, visit Da Vinci Robot Surgery Class Action Lawsuit & Robotic Surgery Lawsuit Investigation.  Fill out the short form to receive a free review of your potential da Vinci robot lawsuit. If you qualify, a robotic surgery lawsuit lawyer will contact you about the next steps to take, at no cost to you.