Robotic Surgery Does Not Diminish Need for Vigilance

​​ECRI Institute's Accident and Forensic Investigation (AFI) Group provides specialized services to investigate, analyze, and prevent incidents, injuries, and deaths related to medical device failures and organization systems and processes. This column draws from the AFI Group's broad experience to discuss the risk management implications of medical-device-related incidents.

The popularity of robotic surgery systems continues to grow as an adjunct to conventional open surgery and minimally invasive surgery techniques for certain types of procedures, such as hysterectomy and prostatectomy. The robotic system adds new complexities to operating room (OR) procedures with the preoperative device setup, perioperative system use, and ongoing inspection and preventive maintenance. ECRI Institute's AFI Group warns that the presence of these systems in the OR must not diminish the OR team's need to adhere to established patient safety practices with existing technologies that have long been in place to reduce risks to the patient. These practices include measures to ensure electrosurgical...