Do Power Morcellators Spread Cancer?

Although using better outcomes for patients, there are concerns that the device may spread cancer, says The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Does the FDA discourage Physicians From Using Power Morcellation for Hysterectomies?

It is believed that power morcellators cause cancerous tissues to spread in the body when used for certain procedures, such as hysterectomies. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it discourages using the device when removing the uterus or uterine fibroids.

How Do Power Morecellators Work?

The power morcellator works by cutting the uterus into small pieces, which are then removed through a small incision. Sometimes, however, the surgeon cannot remove all of the fragmented tissue parts; small pieces that are not removed can migrate through the body. Scientists are now concerned that if these fragments contain cancer cells or pre-cancer cells, this process could cause the cancer to migrate and become very aggressive.

The FDA says that one in 350 women have an unknown uterine sarcoma. In these cases, the surgeon does not know the procedure spread cancer cells until the procedure is complete. But, the damage is done once the sarcoma is removed with a power morcellator.

Using the power morcellator for hysterectomies is only one of several different treatment options, many of which are safer.

With over 70 years of combined legal expertise, the law firm of Zoll & Kranz, LLC works hard to represent victims of dangerous drugs and medical devices. If you or a loved one is suffering from cancer that may have spread because of a procedure that used the power morcellator, please call us at (888)841-9623.

Zoll & Kranz, LLC – Defective Medical Drug and Device Lawyers

Source: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1890400