Although 2015 produced neither the hover boards nor the warp drives promised by so many speculative films, healthcare is one area that has welcomed many significant advances. One in particular, the use of robotic elements in surgical procedures, has brought about many successes. But mistakes are still made.
Here are four things to know about the research, presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Thoracic Surgeons, which looks into the adverse events that occur when surgical robots make mistakes.
• Adverse events data related to robotic systems and instruments used in minimally invasive surgery are reported to the FDA's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database.
•From January 2000 to December 2013, the authors found 144 deaths, 1,391 patient injuries and 8,061 device malfunctions were reported.
• The numbers of injuries and death events per procedure have stayed relatively constant since 2007.
• Despite widespread adoptions of robotic systems for minimally invasive surgeries, the authors conclude that a non-negligible number of technical difficulties and complications are still being experienced during procedures.