<p>Reports of complications from robot-assisted surgery are rising, according to Massachusetts health officials who sent hospitals an "advisory" letter last week alerting them about their safety concerns.</p><p>In some cases, it appears that doctors have used the aggressively marketed robots to perform hysterectomies and colorectal operations that were too complex for the technology, or for the surgeons' skill level in directing the robots' actions.</p><p>During one hysterectomy, two surgeons failed to coordinate their movement of the remote-controlled robotic arms, damaging the patient's bowel and causing excessive bleeding, according to the letter from the Quality and Patient Safety Division, part of the agency that licenses Massachusetts doctors.</p><p>In another hysterectomy, a woman was anesthetized and placed for nearly four hours in a steep head-down angle a position often used during robotic operations. She suffered shoulder injuries. The advisory described a number of mishaps but did not identify the doctors or hospitals involved.</p><p><a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2013/03/25/state-cautions-hospitals-about-patient-complications-during-robot-assisted-surgery/xOAsxR80qH5mVENDdktjKL/story.html">Keep reading...</a></p>