An Alabama woman recently filed a power morcellation lawsuit against Ethicon, alleging that the device used during a hysterectomy led to severe complications.

According to the power morcellation lawsuit, Shannon W. underwent a hysterectomy on October 21, 2010 that used power morcellation.

The power morcellation device was manufactured by Ethicon and was used during her hysterectomy to remove tissue.

However, according to the lawsuit, the power morcellator used on the Shannon spread potentially dangerous tissue through the her body.

After her surgery, the lawsuit claims, Shannon  began experiencing severe pelvic pain, as well as bleeding after intercourse. Through an ultrasound, a hemorrhagic cyst was discovered that may have indicated cancer.

On November 17, 2011, Shannon W. underwent surgery that removed a substantial tumor.

The power morcellation lawsuit alleges that it is because of the power morcellator device used during Shannon’s hysterectomy that dangerous tissue was spread throughout her body. This caused the need for the additional surgery, as well as pain and suffering.

Had the power morcellator not been used and an alternative method used instead, the lawsuit claims that these consequences and risks could have been avoided.

What is a Power Morcellator?

Laparoscopic power morcellators are medical devices that surgeons use to break up uterine fibroids during fibroid surgery. They are somewhat similar to a small drill, and its small blade rapidly rotates through an incision to break up fibroid tissues.

The tool makes extremely small incisions and is therefore considered a less invasive procedure than some alternatives.

Power Morcellator Side Effects

Power morcellator devices have been in use since they were approved by the FDA in 1991. However, they have been losing popularity in recent years as reports of serious complications have increased.

A power morcellator device is used to perform minimally invasive surgeries to cut up uterine fibroids to remove more easily. But patients who have gone through power morcellation surgery have complained that these devices, in cutting up and spreading fibroids, may put patients at a risk for more rapid growth of ovarian cancer.

Hysterectomies and myomectomies commonly use power morcellator devices to remove fibroids. If the uterus or uterine fibroids contain some form of cancer, the power morcellator can actually spread cancer cells throughout the body as it spreads tissue.

The FDA reports that around 1 in 350 women who undergo power morcellation surgery have undetected uterine cancer that, through surgery, can be spread to other parts of the body. This can speed up the spread of cancer, thereby increasing the overall risk to the patient.

Power Morcellation Lawsuits

A growing number of injured patients are filing power morcellation lawsuits. These lawsuits allege that patients were diagnosed with ovarian cancer or other cancers after undergoing power morcellation surgery.

Had plaintiffs been adequately warned about the risks linked with power morcellation, lawsuits claim, they would have chosen a safer alternative.

If you or someone you love has undergone power morcellation surgery and has since been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or another kind of cancer, you may be able to join litigation.

The Power Morcellation Lawsuit is Case No. 2:16-cv-00264-MHT-TFM, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern Division of the Middle District of Alabama.