Hysterectomy Morcellation Cancer Lawsuits

The use of power morcellators during a laparoscopic hysterectomy or uterine fibroid removal surgery may cause women to face an increased risk of suffering from aggressive cancers that spread throughout the uterus, pelvis and abdomen.

STATUS OF HYSTERECTOMY POWER MORCELLATOR LAWSUITS: Product liability lawyers are reviewing potential hysterectomy morcellation lawsuits against the manufacturers of these controversial devices, due to a failure to adequately warn that it may result in the spread of cancer.

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Morcellation Lawsuits

Power morcellators used during a laparoscopic hysterectomy or uterine fibroid surgery may cause the spread of aggressive cancer.

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UTERINE FIBROID SURGERY MORCELLATION CANCER RISK: A power morcellator is an electric tissue-cutting device that allows the removal of uterine tissue through a small incision. The devices are typically used during a laparoscopic hysterectomy or myomectomy, which involves surgical removal of uterine fibroids.

An estimated 50,000 women have undergone uterine fibroid surgery each year where a morcellator was used. Many of these women had unsuspected sarcomas and leiomyosarcoma (LMS), which may have been spread throughout the pelvis and abdomen during the procedure, greatly impacting their health and reducing the overall likelihood of long-term survival.

On April 17, 2014, the FDA issued a safety communication warning doctors to stop using power morcellation during hysterectomy and myomectomy procedures, since there is no reliable way of detecting which women may have unsuspected sarcomas or LMS before the procedure.

The FDA estimates that about 1 in 352 women who underwent a hysterectomy or uterine fibroid removal for presumed benign leiomyoma had an undiagnosed case of uterine sarcoma. About 1 out of every 498 women who underwent the procedures had undiagnosed LMS.

On July 30, 2014, Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, Ethicon, announced a power morcellator recall, saying that the company had determined that there was no way to use the medical devices safely without the risk of spreading undiagnosed cancer. The company, which controlled more than 70% of the market, urged doctors to return all of its power morcellator products, stop using them and said it was exiting the power morcellator market until and unless new technology or techniques made the process safer for women.

While some manufacturers have been continuing to fight to keep their products on the market, some law makers are calling for the FDA to stop uterine fibroid morcellation procedures entirely, indicating that the risks are too great.

Instead, in November 2014, the FDA ordered manufacturers to add a black box warning to all power morcellators, alerting doctors and patients to the risks of spreading and upstaging cancer during uterine fibroid removal surgery. The agency also included contraindications that restrict use of power morcellators in almost all women who would have previously qualified for the procedure, but left doctors the option of using them in rare cases where no alternative procedures were practical.

In October 2015, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized all Ethicon morcellator cancer lawsuits filed in federal courts before one judge for pretrial proceedings in the District of Kansas.

By mid-2016, Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson had reached morcellator settlement agreements with most plaintiffs. However, lawsuits against other morcellator manufacturers are ongoing.

POWER MORCELLATOR CANCER LAWSUIT: A number of women diagnosed with metastatic cancer following a minimally invasive hysterectomy or uterine fibroid surgery may be entitled to financial compensation from the manufacturers of power morcellators used during the procedures.

It appears that these devices were not adequately tested or studied before being introduced, and inadequate warnings were provided to patients or the medical community about the risk of mortellation spreading cancer.

Free consultations and claim evaluations are provided by lawyers reviewing potential power morcellator cancer lawsuits throughout the United States.

7 Comments

  • anitaMarch 30, 2016 at 2:36 am

    I had this done to remove fibroids as well in 2007 at Upper Chesapeake Hosp in Bel Air, Md. Had Dr Daniel King to perform this surgery...issues ever since

  • roseNovember 22, 2015 at 8:23 am

    I had the morcellator used in my hysterectomy for fibroids. David your wife is not "out of the woods". I had an appendectomy 7 years later and when they went it they found tumors/cysts spread through out my abdomen. They were not detectable on CT scans or ultrasounds. Surprise! The lovely tissue they grind up spreads like blowing on a dandelion. How many more women are unaccounted for[Show More]I had the morcellator used in my hysterectomy for fibroids. David your wife is not "out of the woods". I had an appendectomy 7 years later and when they went it they found tumors/cysts spread through out my abdomen. They were not detectable on CT scans or ultrasounds. Surprise! The lovely tissue they grind up spreads like blowing on a dandelion. How many more women are unaccounted for? And when you do see the doctor they don't report this and they don't tell you about other women they are treating from having their tissue morcellated. The procedure makes no common sense. What other surgery do they leave remnants of tissues in a cavity?

  • CarolynMay 14, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    I have had 2 surgery to remove fibroid after first one time went by I start bleeding heavy. So my gyn did a procedure where she went in an frozen my oval where I only have a period once a year that didn't last about 9 month I started back bleeding heavy went an had fibroid remove later now I. Have cancer inside of kidney throat an have more fibroid back that needs to be remove

  • SonjiJanuary 23, 2015 at 1:50 am

    I HAD A HYSTERCTOMY DONE IN 2006 TO HAVE FIBROIDS TUMORS REMOVED. I BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS EVERY SINCE . EVERYTIME I TELL THE DOCTOR ABOUT IT THEY ALWAYS SAY EVERTHING OK I NO SOMETHING IS WRONG NOW SINCE I HAD A MRI A CYST WAS FOUND.I JUST WANT TO NO WHATS GOING ON.

  • CassandraSeptember 22, 2014 at 7:24 pm

    I can relate to her, that's the issue im having right now. The doctors do not listen to you like they should i have watched my stomach have spasms, everyday pain and have the nausea but refused to eat due the fear of vomiting where ever i went. was and still scared of having accidents due to loose stool and not being able to hold it or my urine. I have contacted several lawyers in my area and them[Show More]I can relate to her, that's the issue im having right now. The doctors do not listen to you like they should i have watched my stomach have spasms, everyday pain and have the nausea but refused to eat due the fear of vomiting where ever i went. was and still scared of having accidents due to loose stool and not being able to hold it or my urine. I have contacted several lawyers in my area and them to are on retainer for these doctors, and will not give you a chance or time of day. Its sad, help is what i have been praying for and looking for also. God bless

  • DavidSeptember 16, 2014 at 7:22 am

    My wife had a look at this and we decided to go ahead with Morcellator procedure. Your lack of basic math in this document is very alarmist 1:352 out of 50,000 procedures is not "thousands". Shame on you for this. Do you think the use of a Harmonic scalpel should also be banned because of the "cellular plume" they cause? If you care to speak with the Physicians as I have they clearly understand th[Show More]My wife had a look at this and we decided to go ahead with Morcellator procedure. Your lack of basic math in this document is very alarmist 1:352 out of 50,000 procedures is not "thousands". Shame on you for this. Do you think the use of a Harmonic scalpel should also be banned because of the "cellular plume" they cause? If you care to speak with the Physicians as I have they clearly understand the risks and communicate them. Morcellation has been around for decades too by the way and Cancer is a given contra-indication.

  • MaryJune 5, 2014 at 11:47 pm

    I had partial hystermacy in English creek he said I had bad Pap smear pre cancer cells he did surgery I started hemoraing then he had no choice but to pack my vagina with gauge to stop bleeding this was done in altantic city medical center off jimmy Leeds road very dirty hospital I went home 3 days later spiked fever couldn't walk driving hurt my husband packed car with blankets to sit on la[Show More]I had partial hystermacy in English creek he said I had bad Pap smear pre cancer cells he did surgery I started hemoraing then he had no choice but to pack my vagina with gauge to stop bleeding this was done in altantic city medical center off jimmy Leeds road very dirty hospital I went home 3 days later spiked fever couldn't walk driving hurt my husband packed car with blankets to sit on lay on it hurt I cried bumps I screamed got to shore memerioal hospital in somers point er dr called him my dr didn't feel I was sick enough for a ambulance to transport me back to Pomona to him er kept me I had a very bad infection absase in my pelvic from the hystermacy dr Kaufman never came to see me I had drs from er checking me I was very very ill I was hospital blitzed over a week I finally was allowed to go home I called a few lawyers around me to go after dr but he had them under retainer already he's still my dr but I do not like or trust him I have mesh in my stomach also tyco size of notebook paper 2007 had a gastrobypass they split my stomach wall in half It hurts I feel it tear I pull muscles and lay in pain u can see my stomach muscles retracting other day I laid in sun for about a hour I felt something my stomach burning felt like a hot spoon placed on skin I'm a mess I often wonder if my body is going to give out one day been through a lot still throwing up nobody helps drs don't listen I want to be normal please help me

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