Surgeons who use power morcellators in uterine surgery may accidentally spread undiagnosed cancer, including endometrial stromal sarcoma. This can significantly reduce a woman’s chances of surviving cancer, especially if it spreads beyond the uterus.
What You Can Do & How a Morcellator Cancer Lawsuit Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting power morcellator induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with endometrial stromal sarcoma, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Power Morcellators Linked to Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma
November 2010 — A case report published in Obstetrics & Gynecology reported that a power morcellator spread undiagnosed endometrial stromal sarcoma in a 30 year-old woman undergoing a hysterectomy. Two months after the hysterectomy, she was diagnosed with low-grade cancer in her ovary, fallopian tube, and ovarian artery.
What is the problem?
An estimated 1 in 350 women who has a hysterectomy or fibroid surgery actually has undiagnosed cancer, according to a Safety Communication published by the FDA in April 2014. Due to the risk of spreading undiagnosed cancer, the FDA recommends against using power morcellators in uterine surgery.
Overview
Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS) is a very rare type of sarcoma that occurs in less than 0.2% of all uterine cancers. It tends to be slow-growing and develops in the connective tissues of the uterus, where it is unlikely to produce symptoms in the earliest stages. This often delays diagnosis until it is difficult to treat. Young women are highly likely to be misdiagnosed with uterine fibroids because ESS typically occurs in women in their 40s and 50s.
Symptoms
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Long or heavy bleeding
- Pelvic pain
- Swelling in the pelvis
- Bleeding between menstrual cycles or after menopause
- Large fibroids
Diagnosis
There is no way to know a woman has endometrial stromal sarcoma without removing a tissue sample. This is called a biopsy, and it is examined under a microscope by a pathologist. The tissue may also be tested to see if the cancer cells have estrogen receptors, which are more likely to grow in response to estrogen, according to the American Cancer Society.
Treatment
Treatment for endometrial stromal sarcoma typically includes surgery to remove the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. More aggressive treatments include radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Some types of endometrial stromal sarcomas stop growing (or even shrink) when treated with certain hormone drugs, especially cancers with progesterone receptors.
Do I have an Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting power morcellator induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with endometrial stromal sarcoma, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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