Women have increasingly been recommended to undergo minimally invasive surgery for cervical cancer, for removal and to identify it early. However, new studies and reports from patients have shown that this might be ineffective or even increase a women’s risk of developing cancer.

Two different studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicate that minimally invasive surgery for cervical cancer, including techniques like robotic surgery, have actually led to higher levels of fatalities than any other form of open or traditional surgery done through abdominal incisions.

What Is Minimally Invasive Surgery?

Minimally invasive surgery, also be referred to as keyhole surgery, is when doctors perform surgery through small incisions rather than opening up patients and exposing the patients to complications and risks, such as infections, while also cutting down on the possibility of bleeding.

Some surgeons have turned to the techniques of minimally invasive surgery for cervical cancer treatment or for hysterectomies in opposition to the open surgery that requires longer recovery periods, deeper anesthesia, and higher infection risks.

How Often Is Minimally Invasive Surgery Used Today?

Most surgeons today recommend a minimally invasive hysterectomy to remove the uterus after a woman has been diagnosed with cervical cancer. When cervical cancer recurs, it can be extremely difficult to treat.

This is of note because of the growing numbers of women who have undergone a minimally invasive surgical procedure, usually a laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, and still developed cervical cancer again.

Why Are Hysterectomies Used for Cervical Cancer?

Hysterectomy is the most common treatment for early stage cervical cancer, as it is supposed to remove all cancerous tissue. A radical hysterectomy involves removing the cervix and the womb and sometimes the ovaries and the fallopian tubes.

While open radical hysterectomy has long been a standard for early stage invasive cervical cancer, that approach was replaced by minimally invasive surgery. Surgeons prefer to do these procedures laparoscopically because it has a shorter recovery time and less time spent at the hospital, but it cannot be done in every facility.

However, given that recent research shows that the benefits do not necessarily extend to survival, more physicians are rethinking use of this minimally invasive procedure and referring patients to other options.

Study Findings

In one of the studies published in the journal, women who have been diagnosed with early stage cervical cancer were randomly assigned to either get a robot assisted minimally invasive surgery or the traditional open technique with an abdomen incision. The study was actually stopped after four months because one group showed much lower survival rates; surprisingly, that group consisted of the women who received the minimally invasive hysterectomy.

Can Legal Action Be Taken by Those Who Received Minimally Invasive Surgery?

Some women have considered turning to litigation as a means of possibly holding someone responsible. Others have already begun to look into whether filing a lawsuit is the next step for recurrent cervical cancer.

If you or someone you know has already experienced a recurrence of cervical cancer after undergoing a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure, you could be eligible to take legal action with the help of an experienced attorney.

Join a Free Cervical Cancer after Hysterectomy Lawsuit Investigation

If your cervical cancer progressed after laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, or if your loved one died after such surgery, you may have a legal claim. See if you qualify to file a cervical cancer after hysterectomy lawsuit by filling out the form on this page now.

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