In October 2013, Dr. Amy Reed, an anesthesiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, underwent a routine hysterectomy at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston to remove benign fibroids. The two-hour surgery went as planned and Dr. Reed was on her feet in two days. What she didn’t know yet was that the power morcellator device used during her surgery had inadvertently spread previously unknown cancer cells throughout her abdomen and pelvis.
Hundreds of women like Dr. Reed have experienced the negative consequences of power morcellation and some have even paid with their lives. That’s why women and their families across the United States have filed power morcellator lawsuits.
Before the Power Morcellation Surgery
Prior to her hysterectomy, Dr. Reed had undergone extensive testing, including an MRI, two ultrasounds, and endometrial biopsy. She was given a clean bill of health by her gynecologic oncologist and the radiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, one of Harvard’s medical centers and a top gynecology training hospital.
Dr. Reed’s Cancer Diagnosis
Only a week after her hysterectomy, Dr. Reed received call from the hospital telling her that she had a leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. She was told that the device used during her surgery may have upstaged her cancer to stage IV cancer and spread it to her abdomen and pelvis.
Mission to Ban Power Morcellation
Dr. Reed and her husband, Dr. Hooman Noorchashm, a surgery lecturer at Harvard Medical School and cardiothoracic surgeon Brigham and Women’s Hospital are now doing everything they can to inform doctors and patients of the dangers of morcellation. Their change.org petition has received over 90,000 signatures so far. Their main goal is to end morcellation for good.
Since her cancer diagnosis, Dr. Reed has undergone extensive chemotherapy and is hoping to return to work soon.
Dr. Noorchashm’s Estimates
How many women have had their cancers unknowingly morcellated? Dr. Noorchashm himself has spoken with no fewer than 120 women during his advocacy efforts.
If you look at the facts, around 80,000 hysterectomies are performed with morcellation each year. The FDA says that 1 in 350 women have an undiagnosed cancer prior to morcellator surgery. If you’re generous with this number and say that 1 in 400 women have undiagnosed cancer, you can take 80,0000 hysterectomies divided by 400 women, and come up with 200 women affected by morcellation cancer upstaging.
Contact a Power Morcellation Attorney
If you developed cancer or other complications after a power morcellation surgery, you could have legal options. Even experienced doctors like Dr. Reed and Dr. Noorchashm were not made aware of the risks. If you were hurt by power morcellation, contact an experienced dangerous device attorney today. Contact us by filling out our free case evaluation or by calling us at 888-595-2922.
