Jerry Woodell filed a legal complaint against the manufacturers of power morcellator devices for their refusal to address known safety concerns.

A North Carolina man named Jerry Woodell is taking legal action against makers of the power morcellator device that allegedly caused the death of his wife.

Woodell is seeking damages on behalf of his late partner Bethann, who developed cancer after undergoing a total laparoscopic hysterectomy procedure.

The Woodell Family’s Story

Jerry and Bethann Woodell.
Image: Ridge Funeral Home

In 2012, Bethann was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. For this painful but common condition, doctors recommended a hysterectomy.

In March of that same year, Bethann underwent a laparoscopic morcellation procedure to have the fibroids removed.

Less than six months after the surgery, Bethann began to experience unusual symptoms. She often felt fatigued and started to suffer from migraine headaches. She was admitted to the hospital, where doctors noticed that she had a growth in her pelvis.

Doctors originally thought the large mass was benign, but it was later discovered that Bethann had developed a high-grade cancer called leiomyosarcoma.

In an attempt to save her life, Bethann was exposed to intensive chemotherapy and underwent multiple surgeries. However, her cancer only continued to grow.

Despite a number of last-ditch treatments, Bethann passed away on Sept. 9.

Fighting The Potential Flaws Of Morcellation

Power morcellation can spread hidden cancer cells throughout the body.
Image: Contemporary OBGYN

On Oct. 22, Woodell filed a lawsuit against high-earning morcellator manufacturers. In his complaint, Woodell listed various injustices. He’s suing for product liability, wrongful death and personal injury.

The lawsuit alleges that the “spinning blades that shred, grind, and core tissue into smaller pieces” can leave behind fragments in the “abdomino-pelvic cavity, or attach to surrounding organs, and cancerous cells can travel to remote areas of the body.”

In his complaint, Woodell argues that device manufacturers were aware of the risks related to the spread of hidden cancer and refused to remedy the situation by altering the design.

“Long before [Bethann] underwent surgery in 2012, defendants knew or should have known that their laparoscopic power morcellators could cause occult malignant tissue fragments to be disseminated and implanted in the body, which, in turn, upstages any cancer present and significantly worsens a woman’s chance of survival,” according to the lawsuit.

Research shows that 1 in 350 women undergoing power morcellation procedures may have hidden cancer cells in their uterus. The FDA warns that if these women have surgery with a power morcellator, it “will spread the cancerous tissue within the abdomen and pelvis, significantly worsening the patient’s likelihood of long-term survival.”

If you developed cancer after having your uterine fibroids removed with a power morcellator, you might be entitled to compensation for this medical side effect.

Request a free, no-obligation case evaluation now to see if you qualify.

The post Man Files Suit Against Morcellator That Caused Wife’s Death appeared first on Citizens Report.

A woman died shortly after filing a lawsuit against the power morcellator procedure that allegedly spread undetected cancer throughout her body.

A 44-year-old woman named Brenda Leuzzi was suffering from uterine fibroids. The painful condition caused a severe and unusual amount of bleeding, which prompted her to agree to a power morcellation hysterectomy.

The controversial procedure came with side effects and unknowingly spread uterine cancer throughout Leuzzi’s body. She filed a lawsuit in May 2014 in an attempt to get compensation for her worsening medical status. In a tragic twist of fate, Leuzzi passed away five months later.

Power Morcellator Surgery Changed Her Life

Brenda Leuzzi, 44, died from stage four uterine cancer just two years after undergoing a hysterectomy with a power morcellator device.
Image: Change

When Leuzzi made the decision to undergo power morcellator surgery, she had no idea that it would change her life forever. In the lawsuit, she complained that she wasn’t adequately warned of the dangers associated with power morcellation.

The lawsuit came in conjunction with an announcement from the University of Rochester, the medical center that discovered the fibroids. Health representatives from the center decided they would no longer use power morcellation techniques due to the possibility of spreading undetected cancer.

“Specimens can be removed from the abdominal cavity using non-power morcellation or intact through larger incisions in the abdomen or vagina,” according to the University of Rochester Medical Center.

However, Leuzzi isn’t the only one who has been affected by power morcellation. The FDA estimates that 1 in every 350 women may have undetected cancer cells that can be triggered by the procedure.

A Family That Keeps Fighting

Leuzzi’s husband George fights for justice by continuing the lawsuit and urging the FDA to ban power morcellator devices.
Image: Beta News

Although Leuzzi was unable to finalize the fight for her own justice, her family did not give up. Her husband, a firefighter named George, updated the legal complaint to reflect the circumstances of her death.

“Now that she’s passed I will do my part to carry on what she started,” George Leuzzi said. “I will help as much as I can to get this removed.”

In an ongoing FDA investigation, the governmental body evaluated the dangers of the device and considered banning power morcellation surgeries altogether. The agency issued a warning but has not yet made the decision to stop the procedure.

“I’m very disappointed in the FDA. They should have banned this by now. They’re just stalling and finding some other way to convince themselves it’s OK,” George Leuzzi said.

Many women are still suffering from cancer that may have been caused by power morcellation devices. If you or a loved one developed cancer after having your uterine fibroids removed with a power morcellator, then you might be entitled to compensation.

Complete a free, no-obligation case evaluation now to see if you qualify.

The post Woman Dies After Power Morcellator Surgery Spreads Cancer appeared first on Citizens Report.

The Government Accountability Office will inspect the Food and Drug Administration’s hasty approval of power morcellators.

Despite the fact that power morcellators are associated with minimally invasive surgery, Congress holds these controversial medical devices accountable for hundreds of cancer-related deaths.

After a multitude of dangers linked to power morcellators, the federal government is finally paying attention.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has launched an internal investigation to evaluate the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the widely used surgical instrument.

How Could Surgery Spread Cancer?

Power morcellators are often used to fibroids, also known as benign growths, in the uterus.
Image: Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine

Many are inclined to believe that minimally invasive surgeries are safe, but that’s not always the case. Laparoscopic power morcellation procedures, which provide relief from uterine fibroids through small incisions, have extremely dangerous long-term side effects.

The devices treat uterine fibroids through two different kinds of procedures. Hysterectomies involve removing the uterus while a myomectomy focuses on eliminating the actual fibroids. A myomectomy is preferred for women wanting to have children. Less frequently, the devices are also used for renal nephrectomy or splenectomies.

Fibroids are painful mounds of tissue that cause heavy menstrual bleeding, extended periods and radiating pain. Fibroids are very common and can be removed by a medical professional.

During the power morcellation removal process, pieces of tissue are often left behind. The remaining tissue spreads throughout the body, forming undetected tumors that develop into cancer.

Women who underwent these procedures are increasingly being diagnosed with uterine cancer, causing the medical community to speculate on the safety of the devices. Since then, multiple studies have linked power morcellation to occult uterine cancer.

The Long-Awaited Investigation

The GAO will be evaluating the FDA’s 510(k) approval process and the time it took to add a warning label to power morcellators.
Image: Facebook

The devices, which are meant to come with few risks, have been used by medical professionals since 1991. As regulators begin to evaluate the devices, the truth will finally be uncovered.

The FDA issued a warning in April 2014 urging doctors to discontinue the use of power morcellators in their practices. The warning came after a study that unveiled the true number of women who developed cancer from power morcellation surgeries.

The results proved that 1 in every 350 women who had fibroids removed were at risk for uterine cancer. After six months, the FDA finally included a warning on the product’s labeling.

The investigation, which includes two major parts, was deemed necessary by twelve members of Congress. These lawmakers are determined to find out why the FDA waited months to warn the public about the dangerous side effects of power morcellators.

In addition, the investigation will evaluate the 510(k) approval process that brought the devices into the market with little speculation. The accelerated process, which limits the need for extensive pre and post-approval safety testing, may be responsible for the lack of awareness about the cancer-causing side effects.

Legal Support For Injured Patients

Patients who developed cancer from power morcellation deserve justice.
Image: ABC News

Federal investigators are set to start looking into the devices, but the issue remains largely unresolved until new regulations are enacted. Patients who underwent uterine fibroid surgery because they weren’t informed of the risks deserve justice now.

If you or a loved one developed cancer from a procedure that used power morcellation techniques, you are not alone. You are entitled to health-related compensation for problems caused by power morcellation procedures.

Click here for a free case evaluation to learn more about legal rights and remedies.

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