A Florida man whose wife died after undergoing colon cancer surgery using a multi-armed, remote-controlled robotic device is suing the manufacturer, alleging that the California-based company designed and marketed a defective and dangerous product.

Harvey Sultzer filed the federal lawsuit against Intuitive Surgical Inc. on Feb. 6 in the Southern District of Florida. The complaint alleges that Sultzer’s wife, Sandra Sultzer, endured complications and later died after injuries she sustained after undergoing surgery in September 2021 at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

“Mr. Sultzer experienced thermal injury to the small intestine, resulting in a perforation,” the lawsuit states. “Mrs. Sultzer continued to have abdominal pain and fever after the … surgery, and additional surgeries were required to close the perforation.”