Our attorneys are helping women whose cancer spread because of the use of a morcellator. This is a tragic, widespread problem.
Johnson & Johnson Morcellator Information
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is withdrawing its power morcellators because they have been associated with the spread cancer in women. The morcellators were used in surgery to remove uterine fibroids and for hysterectomies.
J&J is not calling this a recall. However, the company is contacting hospitals and other customers to ask them to return the devices. In April, the company suspended sales and distribution of the power morcellators and asked doctors to stop using them pending the FDA review of the issue.
Last week, a research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) supported the association between power morcellators and the spread of uterine cancer, including leiomyosarcomas. Morcellators cut up the uterine (hysterectomy) or uterine growths into pieces to remove them. In the process undiagnosed cancer cells (unknowingly growing in the uterus or fibroid) can be scattered throughout the abdominal cavity. What could have been treatable cancer becomes fatal in some cases. According to the article, 1 in 370 women who had this kind of surgery with electronic morcellators had undiagnosed cancer.
How Power Morcellators Work
A morcellator is a surgical instrument used to cut up (mince) and remove tissue. It is used because it is a less invasive option than traditional surgery. The morcellator is a hollow cylinder that the surgeon inserts into the abdominal cavity with only a “keyhole” incision. The tissue is minced into small enough pieces to remove them through the cylinder.
Morcellators used to be manual. In 1993, power (electric) morcellators were introduced. These devices mince up tissue at a high speed. It is the power morcellators that allegedly spread cancer cells.