The last thing you expect when getting medical care is to be diagnosed with gynecological surgery cancer, but the rate of complications with this type of medical technology is increasing.
A cutting-edge piece of medical technology designed to make common gynecological surgeries safer may have the tragic side effect of spreading a dangerous cancer from the patient’s uterus to other parts of the body.
“Laparoscopic power morcellators” are bladed tools used in hysterectomies and fibroid removals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an advisory about the devices, and has discouraged doctors and hospitals from using them while it evaluates the risk further.
Roughly one out of every 350 women having gynecological surgery has a “uterine sarcoma” – a tumor that’s a type of cancer. During surgeries with the device, it appears that a doctor can unknowingly spread the cancerous tissue throughout the body, quickly elevating the cancer from stage 1 to stage 4 and increasing the risk of death.
If you or a loved one is a candidate for a hysterectomy or a fibroid removal, it might be a good idea to discuss the possibility of alternative surgical techniques with your gynecologist. This is especially important because nobody has identified a reliable way of detecting this particular cancer prior to surgery.
If you’ve experienced gynecological surgery cancer or another type of injury or loss, call us at 864.233.7200 or 1.800.903.8101 for a free telephone consultation.
