Advanced robot at Sugar Land hospital may help reduce surgical errors

February 06, 2013

In late December, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital became the first medical center in the region to receive a da Vinci Surgical System robot. The da Vinci robot represents the latest in advanced surgical technology; unlike previous surgical robots that required three to five small incisions, the da Vinci employs a single-site system that allows procedures to be completed with just one incision. Initially, the new da Vinci robot will be used by several specially trained Memorial Hermann physicians to perform surgeries in three areas: uro-gynecology, gynecology oncology and general surgery.

Robotics best supplemented with low-tech solutions to improve patient care

In robotic surgery, a camera and small mechanical arms are inserted into the patient through tiny incisions. The surgeon's hand, wrist and finger movements are tracked at a nearby control console, guiding the movement of the mechanical arms as well as the camera's viewing angle. The da Vinci robot, as the latest in robotic surgery technology, should allow surgeons to complete more complex and delicate procedures while making smaller incisions.

The benefits of less invasive robot surgeries include reduced pain, quicker recovery and a lower risk of infection. Importantly, advanced technologies like the new da Vinci robot at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital have the potential to prevent surgical errors.

Of course, as useful as advanced medical technology is, it has certain limits; even when using the da Vinci robot, simple human error by a surgeon can impact patient outcomes.

One of the most effective (and low tech) ways to reduce surgical errors is for hospitals to implement verbal checklists to be used by the medical team before, during and after an operation. In a year-long study from the World Health Organization of eight hospitals, death rates were nearly halved and other complications dropped by more than 30 percent after surgical teams started using a verbal checklist.

Examples of steps on the most effective surgical checklists include knowing whether the patient has an allergy, confirming that antibiotics were given close enough to the start of the surgery and having accurate counts of all surgical tools used.

In an interview with NBC news, Dr. Thor Sundt, vice-chair of the department of surgery at the Mayo Clinic, said that such checklists are "the most important research that we can do in clinical medicine today."

"While there tends to be much more interest in technological breakthroughs and new drugs, these kinds of interventions probably have a greater potential to impact health care than any other," continued Dr. Sundt. "I am sure that we can save more lives with checklists than we can with robotics, etc."

Despite improving technology, surgical errors can still happen

For patients in Sugar Land, Texas, the new da Vinci surgical robot has great potential to improve outcomes. However, it is important to remember that technology is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to patient safety; medical technology is only effective when paired with responsible conduct by surgeons and other hospital staff.

Unfortunately, sometimes medical mistakes do happen, and a patient is left worse off by surgery. This means additional medical bills, pain and suffering, and, in the worst case scenarios, even premature death. Patients who have been harmed by a surgical error or another form of medical malpractice deserve compensation, and doctors typically carry malpractice insurance coverage to pay for claims made by injured patients. If you believe you or a loved one may have been the victim of a medical mistake, talk to an attorney to learn more about your right to monetary recovery.

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