Power Morcellators Used in Abdominal Surgeries Linked to Cancer Risks

Power morcellators are surgical instruments used during less-invasive abdominal procedures, such as laparoscopic gynecological procedures. The device is often used during hysterectomies and the removal of uterine fibroids, as well as liver and spleen surgeries. In recent years, evidence has emerged that these devices unintentionally spread cancerous cells in women during the surgery. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on morcellation in 2014, stating that power morcellators carried the risk of spreading unsuspected cancerous tissues beyond the uterus. It advised healthcare providers to consider alternative treatment options.

Currently, many hospitals across the country have banned the use of power morcellation. Despite FDA warnings, some medical institutions continue to use the devices and numerous companies still manufacture them. The largest maker of power morcellators, Johnson & Johnson, has elected to pull them voluntarily from the marketplace and has urged surgeons to stop using them.

At Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, we have closely followed the evidence emerging as to the dangers of power morcellators. If you or a family member has undergone morcellation and been diagnosed with the spread of cancer, our law firm will review whether you have the right to pursue compensation against the maker of the power morcellator involved.

How Can Power Morcellation Spread Cancer?

Morcellation refers to the division of tissue into smaller fragments, and it is used during abdominal surgeries to facilitate removal of tissue through the small incision sites. Removal of uterine fibroids is one of the most common surgeries to utilize power morcellators. Uterine fibroids are common in women of childbearing years, and at times they will require surgical removal. Doctors will often recommend a minimally invasive procedure using a power morcellator to remove the fibroids. However, for patients with undetected cancer in their abdomen or uterus, the device can spread cancer. Cancers of the uterus or the uterine fibroids are rarely detected in the absence of signs or an invasive procedure.

Can I File a Uterine Cancer Lawsuit?

While studies are still being conducted to establish the exact rate that power morcellators spread cancer in the women they are used on, the dangers of these devices are widely accepted.  Moreover, litigation has begun against the makers of power morcellators. Women who received a cancer diagnosis after undergoing surgery with a power morcellator should contact our product liability lawyers at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, as soon as possible. Our firm will review the facts surrounding your diagnosis and your prior surgery to advise you on your legal rights as well as what steps are necessary to protect those rights. Patients with a viable case may be able to recover compensation for injuries associated with the dangerous device, which can include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, Pain and Suffering, and more.

Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Legal Experience to Work For Your Case!

If you or a loved has been injured or taken ill due to a potentially defective medical device, you may be able to seek compensation from the negligent product manufacturer. The Atlanta Product Liability Lawyers at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, have assisted thousands of injured clients across Georgia and in the Southeast. We offer you a free case review to explain your legal rights and the actions to protect those rights.

No matter where you are located, our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.