Skeptical Scalpel: Robots attack America, but Canada not so much

A laparoscopic robotic surgery machine. Patient-side cart of the da Vinci surgical system. Into the sealed Computer God Robot Operating Cabinet, as a Frankenstein slave, at night. Da Vinci Surgical System. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Robotic surgery has its place. However, robotic surgery is not superior to traditional surgery in every case or for every surgery candidate.  It is best to discuss the pros and cons (and alternatives)  of any surgical procedure with trusted health care professionals.
Discussion starters below under Related Resources.

Why I am posting this? Partly because a recent article in my local newspaper read more like an advertisement for robotic surgery than an unbiased news item.  It seemed to have been written the surgeon interviewed (or at least had only one source of information — the surgeon who touted robotic devices). Am seriously considering a letter to the editor gently inquiring about their journalistic standards. I know they have a skeletal staff of reporters, and no longer have a staff librarian to do research. Still.

Skeptical Scalpel: Robots attack America, but Canada not so much

As of December 2011, 1548 surgical robots have been sold and installed in the United States as opposed to 16 in Canada.

The estimated population of the U.S is 313,388,000 and for Canada, 34,764, 600.

Canada has a population that is 11.1% of the U.S. population but Canada has only about 1% as many robots. Or put another way, Canada has 1 surgical robot for every 97 robots in the U.S….

..

The estimated population of the U.S is 313,388,000 and for Canada, 34,764, 600.

Canada has a population that is 11.1% of the U.S. population but Canada has only about 1% as many robots. Or put another way, Canada has 1 surgical robot for every 97 robots in the U.S.

California’s population is 37,691,912, which is about 3 million more than the population of Canada, but California, with 114 robots, has seven times as many robots as Canada..

Related Resources (will be adding resources included unbiased items about robotic surgery by the end of the week)

• Explore your treatment options: start the conversation (one of a series of great tips by the US Agency for Healthcare Reseearch and Quality (AHRQ) )
• Questions are the answer – your health care depends on good communication (AHRQ)
  This Web site lets you make a list of questions that you can bring to your medical appointments and gives you tips on talking with your doctor.
• More assistance & helpful tips via AHRQ via the Patient/Consumer site

Related articles (Pros and Cons for informational purposes)

• [Reblog] How hospitals recoup the cost of buying robotic surgery systems (jflahiff.wordpress.com)
• Robotic surgery shouldn’t be universally dismissed (kevinmd.com)
• DistalMotion’s Surgical Tool Combines the Best of Robotic and Endoscopic Surgery (medgadget.com)
• Robot Performs Prostate Surgery (blogs.wsj.com)
• Intuitive Surgical Sued In New York Over Death of 24 Year Old Woman Arising from the Use of the daVinci Robot During a Hysterectomy (ducknetweb.blogspot.com)
• Could pricey surgical robots make their way into medium-sized hospitals? (medcitynews.com)
• Open-source Platform Aids Surgical Robotics Research (it4good.wordpress.com)
• Fewer deaths, complications with robotic bladder cancer surgery, but cost is higher (medicalxpress.com)

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