Personal Injury attorneys report on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) updated warnings about power morcellators and their effects on women. Recently, information has come to light suggesting that “the use of laparoscopic power morcellators may contribute to the spread and upstaging of unsuspected uterine cancer in women undergoing hysterectomy and myomectomy for fibroids.”
The FDA conducted a review of scientific and unscientific literature on the topic, as well as patients operated on between 1980 and 2011. Through this review, they found that the presence of unsuspected uterine sarcoma and unsuspected uterine leiomyosarcoma in patients undergoing hysterectomy or myomectomy was higher than the clinical community previously understood. The FDA immediately issued guidance to manufacturers of new and existing laparoscopic power morcellators to include new warnings on their new and existing products. This information cautions against the use of laparoscopic power morcellators in the majority of women undergoing myomectomy or hysterectomy and recommends doctors share this information with their patients.
What is a Laparoscopic Power Morcellator?
Laparoscopic power morcellators are medical devices used during different types of minimally invasive surgeries. These devices are often used to treat uterine fibroids, such as removing the uterus (hysterectomy) or removing the uterine fibroids (myomectomy). It facilitates the removal of tissue through small incision sites.
The Risk
When laparoscopic power morcellation is used for hysterectomy or myomectomy in women with uterine fibroids, it poses a risk of spreading unsuspected cancerous tissue beyond the uterus. They further warn,
If laparoscopic power morcellation is performed in women with unsuspected uterine sarcoma, there is a risk that the procedure will spread the cancerous tissue within the abdomen and pelvis, significantly worsening the patient’s long-term survival.
Philadelphia and New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys
The Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Messa & Associates are experienced at handling products liability cases involving laparoscopic power morcellators that have caused injuries to women. Our extremely skilled team of personal injury attorneys and medical experts is dedicated to ensuring you receive proper compensation for your personal injuries. If you have suffered an injury as a result of the use of a laparoscopic power morcellator, another defective medical device, or any other type of personal injury, contact the personal injury attorneys of Messa & Associates for a free consultation. Call toll free at 1-877-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry.
