The medical industry is one that is rapidly changing, as technology advancements help improve patient outcomes. These advancements reduce the instances of human error that can sometimes result in serious injury, disability or even death to a patient. One exciting development includes the use of robotic technology for certain surgeries. Officials say that the use of robots for back surgery at one out-of-state hospital is showing great promise that Texas patients may find encouraging as it reduces the chance of surgical errors.
Hospital representatives say that they are using the technology to precisely place screws in the spine for treatment of back pain. This is something that humans have difficulty doing to an exact standard, but a CT scan allows the robot to specifically consider a patient’s unique body structure. This also means that the required incision does not have to be as large as one made by a human.
Medical experts say that besides improving the patient’s back pain, this technology reduces the time needed to recover. In some cases, a patient may need radiation after human-conducted surgery, but that is not the case with robotic surgery. Doctors at the hospital have used it on a total of nine patients and are hopeful they can expand its usage for other surgeries. One patient who spoke with the press reported great results and is happy to have significantly reduced back pain.
As hopeful as this technology is, surgical errors will still happen from time to time. No matter whether a robot or a human conducts the surgery, if a patient is harmed due to the negligence of a medical provider, he or she may want to pursue a medical malpractice claim. Those here in Texas who have been hurt during surgery can speak with an attorney who understands how devastating this type of injury can be.