Ethical Implications: Robot Surgeons and Patient Care in Healthcare

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the ethical considerations associated with the use of robot surgeons in medical operations. It begins with an introduction to the evolving role of technology in healthcare, specifically highlighting the increasing adoption of robotic surgery. The report then delves into the background of this technology, including the benefits of minimally invasive procedures and the use of advanced robotic systems like the Vinci Si. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to exploring the ethical issues at hand, such as compromised informed consent, patient unawareness of risks and benefits, bias towards technology, potential for data breaches, and concerns about resource allocation and data security. The report also provides a mind map illustrating the ethical issues. Furthermore, the report applies various ethical theories, including utilitarianism, deontology, contract theory, and virtue ethics, to analyze these issues. The conclusion emphasizes the need for further research and development to address the ethical challenges associated with robotic surgery.

Running head: ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Table of Contents
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................2
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
Background..................................................................................................................................3
Ethical issues...............................................................................................................................3
Ethical Theories...........................................................................................................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Task 1
Figure 1: Mind map on ethical issues on Robot surgeons performing operation
[Positive aspects: Green Line]
[Negative aspect: Red Line]
(Created by author)
Task 2
Introduction
Technology have been ever evolving and hence wise there is an inclusion in technology
in every department and medical department have been one of the most affected domain. This
proves higher acceptance of technology in different field. This report will be providing a proper
description of the Mind map that have created. This is one of the major aspect that is to be

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considered. The report discusses about the background of the technology that have been selected.
The technology that have been selected for execution of the entire report is analyzing the ethical
considerations present in using the technology of robot surgeons for performing operations. This
report hence wise provides vivid understanding of the ethical theories and hence wise align the
entire process with the chosen topic of robot surgeons for performing operations.
Background
The topic that have been seen in the process includes the fact that technology have been
invading the medical department. The most important reason for this prospect is that there is an
increase in efficiency of the operating process and the accuracy that is indulged in the system
will be on a higher node. It can be stated that the main alteration that can be seen in the process is
that instead of operating a patient with the help of large incisions, miniaturized size surgical
instruments are used (Arrabal-Polo et al., 2017). The most advanced robot that is used for
performing operations is namely Vinci Si. Usage of 3D cameras are also performed in a manner
that helps in providing a proper view to the entire operational process. Due to the implementation
of robot for operations, the main benefits that are received includes the likes of the patient
suffering from less trauma, less scary operations and the recovery time that is required in the
process is also much less. These are the major benefits that are received in the process. Despite
the benefits that are present in the system, there are certain issues that are to be considered in the
operating process of the robotic surgeon.
Ethical issues
The major ethical issues that are present in the process of using the technology of robot
surgeons for operations includes the likes of compromised informed consent. It can be stated that
the patients who are under treatment of the robotic surgeon might not be having a proper concept

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of the entire technology. In that case they might be getting deprived of having gaining proper
knowledge regarding the procedure in which their operation will be performed. It is obvious that
the technology that is used by the robotic surgeon will not be easy for the patients to understand.
This sections also ensures that the patients will not be aware of the new technology that they are
receiving for completion of their treatment process (O'Sullivan et al., 2019). Another major
ethical issue that can be stated in the process is that the patients stay unaware of the risks and
benefits that are present and might affect the operation of the innovative surgery. This section
also includes the fact that there will be a tendency to equate newness in the process. All these
process will be performed without providing proper concern to the patient themselves (Leenes et
al., 2017). This lack of information of the technology that is being implemented on one is also
considered as an ethical dilemma.
Another ethical issue that can be considered in the process is that there might be biasness
towards the machineries that will be used during the treatment process and not on the
machineries that will be required for providing proper and exclusive treatment. Thus it can be
stated that the treatment process might be losing efficiency. This biasness in the treatment
process also acts as a major ethical issue. It have been observed that the doctors might be
comfortable with one machinery and hence wise they have been using the same for performing
the treatment, however there are other machineries that have a better and exclusive solution for
the surgery process. This will definitely be decreasing the efficiency of the operational process.
This have been another issue that is considered (Nestor & Wilson 2019). Thus improper usage of
the technology and hence reducing the accuracy of the process is also considered to be an ethical
consideration that can be considered. This ensures that there might be a loss of brand loyalty of
the treatment organization.

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Harming patients have been yet another issue that is to be considered. It can be stated that
the surgical robots have been performing data analysis for gaining a proper insight of the entire
scenario. It can be stated that the data that are collected in the process might not be completely
accurate in nature and this will be affecting the operational process of the surgery. This have
been one of the major aspect that might be affecting the accuracy of the entire process. This
decrease in accuracy of the treatment process will be affecting the treatment in a negative
manner (Angelos 2016). This might be affecting the patients in a diverse manner and hence this
issue can be treated as an ethical dilemma.
Another major dilemma that is present in the operational process is that the uniqueness of
the treatment process might be getting hampered. It can be stated that the treatment process of
each and every individual patient needs to be unique as the physical condition of the patients are
unique in nature. This uniqueness might not be maintained in a process. This is one of the major
reason that the patient’s treatment process mighty be getting affected in a negative manner. This
improper treatment provisioning might be affecting the treatment process as the health condition
of the patients might degrade due to receiving of improper treatment.
Data security have been another aspect that is to be considered. It can be stated that the
data that are collected in the process have been providing proper assessment to the treatment
process. This includes the fact that the treatment process is completely based on the data that is
collected before and whilst the treatment process (O'Sullivan et al., 2019). This section also
ensures the fact that the data that are collected are stored in the system will be stored in the
database and in case there is a breach in the system the entire data set will be getting breached
and hence this will be affecting the entire treatment process. Personal data of the patients might
be accessed in an unauthorized manner. This unauthorized access to data also ensures the fact

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that privacy of the patients have been getting affected in a manner that is not acceptable and
hence this acts as a major ethical constraint of the technology (Cumpanas et al., 2017).
Improper allocation of resource is also considered to be one of the major aspect that is to
be considered in the process. Due to usage of this technology, improper distribution have been
limiting the expenditure of interventions. This might be causing expensive as well as less flexible
treatment process.
Ethical Theories
The ethical theories that are considered in the section are namely utilitarianism,
deontology, contract and virtue.
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism theory is based on the analyzing the outcome of the deed that is being
performed. In this case, lack of uniqueness in treatment process can be considered under this
heading. As per this terminology the main aspect that is to be considered is that the treatment
process might not be getting completed in a proper manner (Siqueira-Batista et al., 2016). It is
expected that the outcome will be inappropriate in case uniqueness is not maintained. As this
section is based on the results that will be having a direct impact on the outcome of the treatment
process.
Deontology
Deontology is mainly focused on the motive of the action that is performed in the
operational process. It can be stated that the conflict of interest will be appropriate for this
heading. The main aspect that is to be considered in the operational process is that the doctors
might be biased ion selecting the machineries, despite the other machineries might be providing

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higher efficiency in the operational process. Hence the motive of the doctors in this case is to
stay in their comfortable zone.
Contract theory
Contract theory is based on proper understanding of the person’s moral and ethical aspect
that will be benefitting the entire society. Data breaching can be considered under this section.
As having privacy in a society have been one of the major aspect that is to be considered.
Virtue ethics
Virtue ethics is based on performing role of characters and hence wise virtue in moral
philosophy is considered. Acting in a proper manner to achieve desired result is the main goal of
the theory. In this case, the main aspect that is considered is that allocation of resources might be
falling under this section as in this process in case proper resource is not allocated the entire
process will be a failure and this might occur in the technology of robot surgeons performing
operations.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be stated that the technology have been gaining higher
acceptance, however the issues that are present in the technology needs more consideration and
proper research and development is to be made. There are ethical issues that are discussed in the
report. Again it can be stated that ethical theories are also segmented. This segmentation of
ethical issues also helps in better understanding of the ethical issues present in the technology of
robotic surgeons performing operations.

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References
Angelos, P. (2016). The ethics of introducing new surgical technology into clinical practice: the
importance of the patient-surgeon relationship. JAMA surgery, 151(5), 405-406.
Arrabal-Polo, M. A., Arrabal-Martin, M., Mijan-Ortiz, J. L., Vazquez-Alonso, F., & Cozar-
Olmo, J. M. (2017). Assessing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. The
Lancet, 389(10071), 799.
Cumpanas, A. A., Ferician, O. C., Latcu, S. C., Pricop, C., & Bardan, R. T. (2017). Ethical, legal
and clinical aspects of live surgery in urology–contemporary issues and a glimpse of the
future. Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques, 12(1), 1.
Leenes, R., Palmerini, E., Koops, B. J., Bertolini, A., Salvini, P., & Lucivero, F. (2017).
Regulatory challenges of robotics: some guidelines for addressing legal and ethical
issues. Law, Innovation and Technology, 9(1), 1-44.
Matsuzaki, T. (2018). Ethical Issues of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine. Cal. WL Rev., 55,
255.
Nestor, M., & Wilson, R. (2019). An Anticipatory Ethical Analysis of Robotic Assisted
Surgery. Business and Professional Ethics Journal.
O'Sullivan, S., Leonard, S., Holzinger, A., Allen, C., Battaglia, F., Nevejans, N., ... & Heinsen,
H. (2019). Anatomy 101 for AI‐driven robotics: Explanatory, ethical and legal
frameworks for development of cadaveric skills training standards in autonomous robotic
surgery/autopsy. The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted
Surgery, e2020.

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O'Sullivan, S., Nevejans, N., Allen, C., Blyth, A., Leonard, S., Pagallo, U., ... & Ashrafian, H.
(2019). Legal, regulatory, and ethical frameworks for development of standards in
artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous robotic surgery. The International Journal of
Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, 15(1), e1968.
Siqueira-Batista, R., Souza, C. R., Maia, P. M., & Siqueira, S. L. (2016). Robotic surgery:
bioethical aspects. ABCD. Arquivos Brasileiros de Cirurgia Digestiva (São Paulo), 29(4),
287-290.