Unproven Surgical Robotic Procedures May Put Patients at Risk

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1. Surgical robots are sometimes used for procedures in which:

a) The effectiveness of using a robot is unknown.

b) The risks associated with using a robot have not been fully assessed.

2. While the use of surgical robots in innovative ways or for new procedures can be beneficial—by advancing clinical practice in ways that could lead to improved patient outcomes—such uses are, by their nature, untested and unproven. In some cases, complications from a...