Ethical Implications In Robotic Surgery

As robotic surgery becomes more common; the moral and ethical implications have come into focus. While surgery itself is an acient practice; surgical ethics are still a relativly new concept. Often surgical practices are not field tested. New surgical procedures will often happen out of necessity, or during a surgical procedure. Since robotic surgery requires special equipment such as software and special physical equipment; it has allowed for further research and study prior to using this specilized equipment. Surgical robots are more complex, both electrically and mechanically, than traditional devices used in the operating room environment. They also involve direct contact with the patient, both externally and internally. These important features differentiate surgical robots from other medical equipment.
There are certain moral and ethical implications that surround this new technology. Training and special maintenenace of the equipment has required a serious look at how surgins are trained, and how the manufacturer should maintian the equipment. Questions arise such as who is liable for mal practice when robotic surgery is involved. Patients are often required to sign release forms before a surgery is performed.

In order to maintain the highest moral and ethical levels of patient care today and in the future, we …show more content…
Standard operating procedures must include how to safely and rapidly remove the device in case of an emergency. Training needs to be conducted on what to do if the system stops responding, and how to respond if the system behaves in a potentially unsafe manner while performing procedures. All such reasonably foreseeable situations must be anticipated, practiced and understood. Currently, the FDA has in place a mandate that companies provide at least some of this training. Thus, at a minimum, surgeons must be trained to meet these FDA