According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the use of power morcellators has decreased dramatically since 2014 when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that the devices could spread cancer.
Power morcellators have been used for decades in minimally invasive gynecological procedures like hysterectomies and fibroid removal. The device enters the abdomen through a small incision instead of requiring a large incision like traditional surgeries.
Once in the abdomen, the device shreds tissue into smaller pieces for easier removal through the incision in the abdomen. This allows for shorter recovery time.
Despite the many benefits of power morcellators, the FDA issued a warning in 2014 stating that the device can spread undetected cancer throughout a woman’s abdomen.
According to the FDA, one in 350 women may have undetected cancers, and this device puts them at risk for spreading, and potentially worsening, the disease.
This new study looked at how often these devices were used after the warning. Researchers analyzed data collected from more than 200,000 women who underwent hysterectomies, 58 percent of whom had minimally invasive procedures.
Researchers stated that an estimated 14 percent of minimally invasive hysterectomies used power morcellators in 2013. By 2015, morcellator usage dropped to only three percent.
Although many doctors were concerned that declined use of power morcellators would increase complications from traditional hysterectomy procedures, the study found that despite declines in the use of the devices, there was no increase in complications from traditional procedures.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer after a power morcellator was used in your surgery, contact the law offices of GWC Injury Lawyers to speak to a skilled power morcellator attorney. You could be entitled to compensation. Schedule your free claim review and find out how GWC can hold responsible parties accountable for your pain and suffering.
<< BACK TO BLOG POSTS