Power Morcellators and Cancer - The Shocking Connection | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

When you go in to the hospital for surgery, you should not come out with cancer. Unfortunately, numerous women across the country and struggling with deadly cancers because their doctor decided to use a power morcellator during a medical procedure like a hysterectomy.

Case In Point

A power morcellator lawsuit was filed in Pennsylvania by a husband who lost his wife to cancer after she went in for a hysterectomy. The power morcellator wrongful death lawsuit claims that, during the surgery, the doctor used a power morcellator device to remove uterine tissue (aka uterine fibroids). The morcellator is an invasive device in that it is inserted into a woman’s abdomen through an incision. Once inserted, the power morcellator spins tiny blades which chop and shred the aforementioned fibroids.

Here’s the problem – the morcellator, while shredding the fibroids, spreads undetected cancer cells throughout a woman’s body.

Shortly thereafter, the wife was diagnosed with a widespread, high-grade cancer called leiomyosarcoma. This cancer is rare, aggressive and can kill someone quickly. In this tragic case, the wife died within a year of her diagnosis.

 

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FDA Recognizes the Risk

The FDA estimates that approximately 1 out of every 350 women undergoing gynecological surgery with a power morcellator may have undetected cancer cells and the morcellator may wind up spreading those cells through a woman’s body.

As a result the FDA issued safety warnings declaring that most women should avoid using laparoscopic power morcellators during gynecological surgeries, due to a risk of spreading hidden uterine sarcomas.

How convenient for the FDA to state that “women should avoid” using a power morcellator. Last time I checked, the doctor was performing the procedure, not the woman. Do doctors expressly give their female patients the option not to have a power morcellator used?

Hospital are Supposed to Help Heal, Not Ruin Lives

Many women, quite understandably, feel violated after learning that a cancer growing inside their body may have been caused by a power morcellator device. The morcellator is marketed as a device that helps doctors with laparoscopic medical procedures. Many women did not realize that using this device could result in the development of rare, aggressive, and deadly forms of cancer.

Time to Take Action

Our Virginia power morcellator injury law firm is evaluating claims for morcellator cancer lawsuits. If you or a loved one had a hysterectomy or myomectomy for fibroids and were subsequently diagnosed with cancer, contact our law firm today to set up a confidential, no-cost consultation.