Until recently, power morcellation was one of the most popular surgical methods for women who have to undergo gynecological surgery.

Due to how minimally invasive power morcellation is compared to traditional surgery, it is easy to understand why a number of women prefer this method.

Power morcellation was not widely used until the 2000s. Since then, power morcellators have been manufactured and produced by major manufacturing companies to compete in the lucrative power morcellation market.

A morcellator consists of tiny rotating blades that are meant to cut up uterine fibroids and other tissue into smaller pieces. These smaller portions are then pulled up through a tube, which is inserted though a small incision made in the abdomen.

Power morcellation has been used for a number of gynecological procedures including:

• Myomectomy (Uterine Fibroid Removal)
• Hysterectomy (Uterus Removal)
• Oophorectomy (Ovary Removal)
• Salpingectomy (Fallopian Tube Removal)

Along with being minimally invasive, power morcellation surgery allows patients to quickly recover from such a personal surgery. For these conveniences, many women have chosen power morcellation for their hysterectomy or myomectomy procedures.

However, numerous women have reported major power morcellation complications, soon after using the device for these procedures. Some women have developed late stage uterine cancer following these procedures, cancer they believe was made worse by the use of a power morcellator.

Overview of Power Morcellation Complications

One of the most serious injuries reported in power morcellation complications is the development of uterine cancer.

The FDA warned against power morcellation cancer on April 17, 2014, stating that women using these surgical devices for hysterectomy or a myomectomy may face a higher risk of developing late stage uterine cancer.

Even before the FDA warned against power morcellation complications, medical professionals were concerned over the increased risk.

Furthermore, some medical experts complained that power morcellators did not undergo adequate safety testing before being approved for surgical use.

Power morcellation cancer occurs when the rotating blades cut up undetected cancer tissue, which allows the cancer cells to spread throughout the abdomen.

In these cases, the cancer is at an earlier stage and may have been easily curable if discovered and removed.

By spreading the cancer cells beyond the uterus, a power morcellator can cause cancer to progress at an aggressive rate.

Currently, there is no reliable diagnostic method available to pre-determine if a woman has uterine sarcoma before undergoing power morcellation.

According to the FDA, approximately one out of 350 women undergoing fibroid surgery may have undetected uterine cancer, with an estimated 50,000 women undergoing power morcellation hysterectomy per year.

While some surgeons have stated that using a protective surgical bag to catch the tissue debris lowers the risk, many hospitals have discontinued offering power morcellation entirely.

Women who have suffered power morcellation risks may be able to file legal action against the manufacturing company. Potential claimants may want to contact a knowledgeable lawyer to determine eligibility for a power morcellation lawsuit.