Baton Rouge Morcellator Cancer Lawsuits
Power morcellators are medical devices that are used during laparoscopic or robotic procedures such as hysterectomies and myomectomies. Morcellators are used to cut uterine tissue, including uterine fibroid, as part of a less invasive procedure for removal of tissue. Many doctors recommend laparoscopic or robotic procedures using power morcellators based on shorter post-surgical recovery time and reduced risk of infection compared to other procedures.
The FDA issued a Safety Alert in 2014 stating that power morcellators, which use a spinning blade, sometimes cause deadly cancers to spread when used on fibroid masses that may be malignant. The FDA found that 1 in 350 women who undergo laparoscopic or robotic procedures using power morcellators may have undiagnosed cancer that may be spread by the power morcellator.
The use of power morcellators may result in spreading malignant tissue from a cancer that is not diagnosed. These cancers include endometrial stromal sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, carcinosarcoma, endometrial adenocarcinoma, and ovarian carcinomas.
The FDA also issued a black box warning on November 24, 2014 stating that the risks presented by power morcellators outweigh any potential benefits and that these devices should no longer be used. Johnson & Johnson, a medical device and pharmaceutical company, and its affiliate, Ethicon, as a result of the FDA actions, suspended all sales and distributions of power morcellators and ordered a voluntary withdrawal from the market. These morcellators include Gynecare Morcellex, Gynecare X-Tract, and Morcellex Sigma.
If you or a loved one underwent a laparoscopic or robotic procedure using a power morcellator and were then diagnosed with endometrial stromal sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, carcinosarcoma, endometrial adenocarcinoma, or ovarian carcinoma, call the Power Morcellator lawyers at Bohrer Brady, LLC for a free, confidential consultation.
