Johnson & Johnson is facing a new power morcellator lawsuit from a Florida man, who claims that his wife died as a direct result of their surgical device.

The grieving husband alleges his wife died due to an aggressive form of cancer known as leiomyosarcoma, which was released from a dormant uterine sarcoma due to the Gynecare LPM power morcellator.

The company’s subsidiary and Gynecare LPM manufacturer, Ethicon Inc., is facing the brunt of the product liability claims from plaintiff Gary H. The decedent, Sara R., had underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy procedure on Jan. 16, 2001 to remove unwanted uterine fibroids.

Even though the procedure was successful, it was not long after that Sara was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She eventually succumbed to the disease on Jan. 14, 2014, leaving a permanent absence in her husband’s life.

Several months after her death, Gary had been notified of an important FDA announcement regarding the use of power morcellator devices during gynecological laparoscopic surgeries.

Ideally the Gynecare LPM power morcellator would have provided a safe and efficient method for uterine fibroid removal, but had caused fatal complications instead.

Gary insists that his wife never would have opted to have the Gynecare LPM device used during her surgery if she had known the risk of power morcellator cancer. Furthermore, Gary alleges that Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon failed to notify his wife or her surgeons of the potential dangers of power morcellators spreading undetected uterine sarcoma.

So for being allegedly responsible for manufacturing, selling, distributing, and marketing a dangerous medical device, Gary is suing Johnson & Johnson. The charges include: negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

Overview of Power Morcellator Complications

A power morcellator is a surgical tool composed of tiny rotating blades that cut through uterine fibroids for easy removal. These devices are used for these types of surgeries often because it is less invasive and requires less hospital recovery time.

In April 2014 the FDA announced that power morcellators could potentially release dormant cancer cells in women who have undiscovered uterine sarcoma, estimating that one in 350 women may have undiagnosed cancer cells.

The agency went on further to say that there is currently no diagnostic method available, to predetermine if the woman has uterine sarcoma prior to morcellation surgery.

When a power morcellator is used in hysterectomies or other laparoscopic surgeries, it could potentially rupture uterine sarcoma sacs. Once these areas are opened, the cancer cells can spread and quickly progress inside the patients, often leading to latent stage diagnoses.

The Power Morcellator Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 6:15-cv-01924-GAP-TBS, in the U.S. District Court of Middle Florida, Orlando Division.

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