A growing number of lawsuits are being filed against power morcellator manufacturers, alleging the devices exacerbate the spread of uterine cancer.

Power morcellation is a process often used during hysterectomy surgeries.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved power morcellators for hysterectomy surgery in 1991. After that, morcellation grew increasingly more popular.

However, despite this popularity, the devices have been linked in recent years with a risk of spreading hidden uterine cancer, placing patients at an even more severe risk.

Considered to be minimally invasive, the power morcellation process involves making small incisions to cut unwanted uterine tissue into smaller, more easily removable pieces.

Unfortunately, it may be that the process allowing for easier fibroid removal also makes it easier for undetected uterine cancer to spread throughout the body uninhibited.

Essentially what happens is that, when a morcellator cuts up uterine fibroids for surgery, it can simultaneously cut up and scatter undetected uterine cancer cells, allowing the spread of cancer to be quickened.

It is important to note that, while this can be very dangerous for those in this situation, there is no evidence to suggest that morcellator surgery causes cancer—just the increased spread of cancer.

Patients at risk of suffering from an increased spread of cancer due to morcellation are only those who already have cancer, though it may be undetected at the time of surgery.

If power morcellation essentially gives the cancer a jumpstart, spreading cancerous cells throughout the body, a patient’s prognosis can become significantly worse.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has responded to reports of these risks. In April 2014, the FDA released an important safety alert about the risk of uterine cancer spread from morcellation.

The FDA’s statement warns consumers that power morcellation can place patients with undetected uterine cancer at a substantially more significant risk.

The risk of unintentionally spreading as of yet undetected cancer through power morcellation is actually more likely than it may sound.

According to the FDA, around 1 in 350 women who undergo power morcellation surgery may have undetected uterine cancer.

Even patients who do not have uterine cancer may at risk of serious side effects from power morcellation.

Other complications include the spread of noncancerous fibroids, which can cause prolonged menstrual bleeding or pelvic pain.

Lawsuits Against Power Morcellator Manufacturers

Power morcellator manufacturers such as Ethicon have been targeted in an ever-increasing number of power morcellation cancer lawsuits.

Women who have been diagnosed with uterine cancer following morcellation surgery allege that their cancer growth would not have been so rapid or dangerous had they been properly warned of the risks, and had morcellation been avoided during surgery.

Lawsuits claim that plaintiffs injured by power morcellation would not have agreed to the procedure if they had been properly warned of the risks for those with undetected uterine cancer.

Plaintiffs claim that, had they been so warned of the risks, they would have instead chosen an alternative method of surgery, thus avoiding the rapid spread of uterine cancer from morcellation.

Power morcellator lawsuits claim that power morcellator manufacturers, including Ethicon, either knew or should have known about this serious and even life-threatening risk associated with their device.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with uterine cancer after undergoing morcellation surgery, you may be able to file a morcellation lawsuit against power morcellator manufacturers.