Uterine Fibroid
Uterine Fibroid

WARNING: Power morcellators, medical devices used to treat uterine fibroids, have been found to spread uterine cancer cells throughout the body.  Due to allegations that manufacturers of power morcellators knew of this risk but failed to act in the interest of public safety, warning consumers, power morcellator lawsuits are currently being filed.

 

For a free, no-obligation case consultation, do not hesitate to contact our team of power morcellator lawyers at Justinian PLLC.
(855) 452-5529
justinian@dangerousdrugs.us

Power Morcellators In the News
Health insurance giant Aetna recently announced that as of May 15th, it will no longer cover the use of power morcellators in certain surgical procedures, including those for the removal of uterine fibroid tumors.

To be clear, “Laparoscopic power morcellators are medical devices used during different types of laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgeries. These can include certain procedures to treat uterine fibroids, such as removing the uterus (hysterectomy) or removing the uterine fibroids (myomectomy). Morcellation refers to the division of tissue into smaller pieces or fragments and is often used during laparoscopic surgeries to facilitate the removal of tissue through small incision sites.” (FDA)

This comes on the heels of last year’s FDA-required warning label update for power morcellators stating that the devices can spread undetected uterine cancer cells upon use.  And this makes common sense – a device used to break up tissue to facilitate removal could also facilitate the spreading of other cells, malignant or otherwise.  Now, Aetna won’t cover the use of these products.

However, according to the prominent medical news site Medscape News, “Physicians can request an exception to the coverage ban if the patient is premenopausal and wants to maintain her fertility, and if another treatment would not be effective. Likewise, Aetna may cover a procedure using a power morcellator for patients with severe comorbidities whose risk for death or severe morbidity posed by an alternative procedure would outweigh the risk for an undetected sarcoma, put by the FDA at one in 350 women undergoing morcellation.”

Medscape also pointed out that any and all surgeries involving power morcellators must now be pre-cleared with Aetna.

And, as Jon Kamp of NASDAQ pointed out, this is the largest unilateral action taken by a healthcare insurance company against the use of power morcellators, though several other insurance agencies have “either curtailed use of morcellators or are considering limits” (NASDAQ).

Power Morcellator Lawsuits
As it has been alleged that power morcellator manufacturers knew, or should have known of the serious risks linked to power morcellator use but failed to act in the interest of consumer and public safety, mass tort litigation has been pursued across the United States.

To read more about power morcellators and this recent power morcellator news, follow the links below:

Wikipedia – What is a Power Morcellator?

Uterine Fibroids and Power Morcellation – What You Need to Know

Laparoscopic Uterine Power Morcellation in Hysterectomy and Myomectomy: FDA Safety Communication

“Aetna to cease coverage of routine use of power morcellator to remove uterine fibroids” – Seeking Alpha

For more information on power morcellators and their link to cancer, contact our team of power morcellator lawyers at the Justinian PLLC.  We have the skill, resources, and experience required to fight for the justice you deserve.

(855) 452-5529
justinian@dangerousdrugs.us