Lawyers for Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma Spread by Morcellators During Laparoscopy Surgery
The product liability lawyer at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential lawsuits for women throughout the United States who have been diagnosed with endometrial stromal sarcoma or other uterine cancer that may have been spread by the use of a power morcellator during a laparoscopic hysterectomy or myomectomy.
Contact Our Lawyers About a MORCELLATOR CANCER CASE
Power morcellators are medical devices introduced in recent years for use during uterine fibroid surgery, allowing doctors to perform minimally invasive procedures through a small incision in the abdomen. However, these dangerous and defectively designed tools may cause the rapid spread of unsuspected sarcoma that is contained within the uterus.
In 2014, the FDA issued warnings that indicated about one out of every 350 women who undergo uterine fibroid surgery may face a risk of power morcellation causing the rapid spread of endometrial stromal sarcoma, as well as leiomyosarcoma or other cancerous cells throughout the body.
Potential endometrial stromal sarcoma lawsuits, as well as leiomyosarcoma lawsuits, are being reviewed for women diagnosed with the uterine cancer following a:
- Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy (LSH)
- Robotic Hysterectomy
- Laparoscopic Myomectomy
- Other Minimally Invasive Uterine Fibroid Surgery
To review whether you or a loved one may be entitled to financial compensation, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma Diagnosis Following Hysterectomy
Endometrial stromal sarcoma is a rare form of uterine cancer that is hard to diagnose, and is often not detected until after it has reached later stages and spread beyond the uterus. There is no reliable way for doctors to provide an endometrial stromal sarcoma diagnosis while the tumors are contained within the uterus, and the five year survival rate at this earliest stage is very high.
When power morcellators are used during a laparoscopic hysterectomy or myomectomy, the uterus or uterine fibroids are ground up by the device, so that the tissue may be removed through a small laparoscopic incision.
For women who have unsuspected endometrial stromal sarcoma contained within the uterus, morcellation may cause the rapid spread of the cancerous tissue, significantly diminishing a woman’s overall quality of life and reducing the chances for long-term survival with the cancer.
If endometrial stromal sarcoma is diagnosed while the cancer is contained, the five year survival rate is about 90%. However, if power morcellators spread the cancer cells throughout the peritoneal cavity, it results in an immediate upstaging of the uterine cancer to advanced stage, making treatment more difficult.
Symptoms of endometrial stromal sarcoma may include:
- Abnormally long or heavy bleeding
- Pelvic Pain
- Pelvic Swelling
Fortunately, endometrial stromal sarcoma may be the most survivable form of uterine cancer that can be spread by power morcellators. Women diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma may face only a 14% five year survival rate once it is spread to the most advanced stages.
Uterine Fibroid Morcellator Class Action Lawyers
Medical device manufacturers had an obligation to ensure power morcellators were safe for the intended purposes, and to adequately warn women and the medical community about the risk of endometrial stromal sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma or other uterine cancer being spread during laparoscopic myomectomy or hyesterectomy surgery.
In November 2014, the FDA announced that the strongest warnings possible will be provided with power morcellators and restrictions have been placed on use of the surgical tools due to the sarcoma risk.
According to allegations raised in endometrial stromal sarcoma lawsuits being reviewed by the class action lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., many women could have avoided the rapid spread of endometrial stromal sarcoma if the manufacturers of power morcellators had provided earlier warnings or recalled the devices once it became clear that uterine cancer was being spread during laparoscopic morcellation surgery.
If properly informed about the potential endometrial stromal sarcoma risk with power morcellators, many women would have elected to undergo an alternative treatment for uterine fibroids, including traditional surgical hysterectomy performed vaginally or abdominally, catheter-based blocking of the uterine artery, high-intensity focused ultrasound, drug therapy or laparoscopic surgery without use of morcellation.
All cases for women diagnosed with endometrial stromal sarcoma following a hysterectomy or uterine fibroid removal are handled under a contingency fee agreement, which means that there are never any out-of-pocket expenses to hire our law firm and we only receive attorney fees or reimbursed expenses if a financial recovery is obtained.
CONTACT OUR ENDOMETRIAL STROMAL SARCOMA LAWYERS ABOUT A LAWSUIT