A recently published study suggests that 27 out of every 10,000 women who have uterine fibroids removed by way of power morcellators may have previously undetected cancer. That equates to 1 in every 370 women. That rate is especially alarming considering the popularity of power morcellators in recent times and because of the potential consequences of this type of discovery. When women have previously undetected cancerous cells in the area in which a power morcellator penetrates, it could create a higher risk of the development of serious forms of cancer in other parts of the body.
The study was published in September in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or the JAMA. A link to the study can be found here. The study was done by researchers at Columbia University, and its findings support the concerns that have been expressed by many others in the recent past including the FDA. Those concerns have led companies to stop selling and ultimately to stop using these machines for procedures on patients. These power morcellator recalls have only led to even more concern from women who underwent these procedures at some point in the past.
What Are Power Morcellators?
Power morcellators are machines that are used to perform common surgical procedures on women, including hysterectomies and the removal of uterine fibers. Traditionally, surgeons would simply make an incision into that part of the body and remove the materials. Power morcellators are basically robotic arms that make laparoscopic incisions that cut the fibroids into small pieces before removing them from the patient. The perceived benefit of this approach is that the incision made on the patient is much smaller. This smaller incision will not only reduce pain but also recovery time.
Problems Arise
Unfortunately, power morcellator lawsuits began to be filed around the country in recent years because women were being diagnosed with cancer unexpectedly. Additional analysis led to the finding that dragging materials out of the body that are cancerous exposes those cancer cells to other parts of the body. This in turn has led in some cases to cancer cells spreading and tumors forming in other parts of the body. It is not uncommon for cancerous cells to be discovered when these procedures are performed, but there was little risk to other parts of the body using the traditional surgical method.
About This Power Morcellator Cancer Study
The study at issue involved the researchers analyzing an enormous insurance database that detailed the medical procedures that patients underwent. The researchers narrowed their analysis down to those who had undergone hysterectomies and/or the removal of uterine fibroids using power morcellators. They found that out of every 10,000 women who had this done, 27 of them were later diagnosed with uterine sarcoma.
If you or someone you love has had a procedure done with a power morcellator and you have been diagnosed with cancer, you need to contact the power morcellator cancer lawyers at Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can either email the firm or call 800-800-DRUG.
