When a woman has been diagnosed with breast cancer, one of the most common options of treatment is a mastectomy. An increasing number of women are choosing to have double mastectomies, even when the cancer only appears in one breast. But a new study, conducted by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, concluded in most cases a double mastectomy is unneeded.

Researchers followed the cases of 1,447 women who were diagnosed and treated for cancer in one breast and had not had cancer show up in the other breast. Eight percent of the women in the group had opted for a double mastectomy – medically referred to as a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM). The data showed that women with higher education levels, as well as women who had undergone an MRI prior to treatment, were more likely to choose a CPM.

Seventy percent of the women who chose to have a CPM did not have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer. They also did not test positive for mutated BRCA genes. A positive test to mutated BRCA genes indicates a strong likelihood of breast (and ovarian cancer). It is medically recommended that women who test positive undergo CPM.

The researchers concluded that undergoing a CPM offers no increase in survival rates because of the low rate of recurrence of cancer showing up in the other breast when just a single mastectomy is performed. In the study, only three percent of women had a recurrence.

The study, which was published in the medical journal JAMA Surgery, also points out that women who opt for CPM face much longer and more difficult recovery times, not only for the CPM surgery, but also for the reconstructive surgery that many women choose to have.

If you have suffered side effects from an unnecessary surgery or surgical error, contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney today to find out what legal action you may be able to take.

An article in AARP the Magazine listed several common surgeries that studies have shown to not only be ineffective as treatments, but may actually put a patient at risk.

According to the article, there are several reasons these procedures are performed on a routine basis. Most are “moneymakers” for the physicians who perform them and for the hospitals where they take place. Some of the procedures appear to work in the short-term, but have very little benefits for the long-term outlook of the patient and may actually cause more harm.

Stents for Stable Angina: If a person is having a heart attack, a stent may actually save their life. However, if the person is having chest pains that have been caused by stress or exertion (called stable angina), inserting a stent offers the same value of treatment as exercise or eating a diet that will lower cholesterol. But even though stents have been shown to be an ineffective treatment for this particular heart disease, there are almost half a million stents implanted in stable angina patients annually.

Complex Spinal Fusion for Stenosis: Spinal Stenosis is a very painful condition where soft tissue between vertebrae becomes flat, offering no buffer and creating pressure on the spinal cord and nerves running from it to the neck, shoulder, and extremities. The number one treatment for this condition is to fuse vertebrae together to limit mobility and decrease pain. The surgery can be dangerous. Studies have shown that patients who have a spinal fusion have triple the risk of developing serious complications than other surgeries. And most patients do not get any pain relief from the surgery. Yet in a five year period, there was a 1,400 percent increase in Medicaid patients having the procedure.

Hysterectomy for Uterine Fibroids: Every year, 600,000 women have hysterectomies. Most of those procedures are unnecessary. When a diagnosis of cancer has been made, a hysterectomy should be performed. However, many doctors are performing this procedure in women who have complications from uterine fibroids, which are benign. Complications from this surgery are common and include perforations of the colon or bowel, due to the location of the uterus.

If you have suffered injury or other medical side effects from a medical procedure, contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney to find out what compensation you may be entitled to for pain and loss.

Merck & Co. recently announced an agreement to pay $100 million in order to settle all pending lawsuits regarding the company’s NuvaRing contraceptive.

The agreement covers all cases that have been filed in state and federal courts, as well as any claims that have not been filed yet. The company says 95 percent of the 3,800 eligible people need to take part in the agreement in order for it to be put in place.

NuvaRing, available by prescription only, is a plastic vaginal ring that releases low doses of two female hormones, estrogen and progestin. While the ring is in place, these hormones are released in order to block ovulation.

The ring was designed by the company Organon and Schering. It became available in the U.S. in 2002. But in 2007, users of the product began filing lawsuits against the company, alleging that the product could cause blood clots. These clots can lead to heart attacks, strokes and sudden death. Lawsuits also accused the manufacturer of failing to warn the public about these potential health risks.

Merck purchased Schering-Plough in 2009 and inherited the liability blamed on the NuvaRing, along with all the lawsuits. Merck denies all liability to any injuries suffered by victims in its settlement agreement.

If the settlement is approved, it would be much less than what other manufacturers have had to pay out for similar product defects. Last year, Bayer paid almost $1.6 billion in settlements to the thousands of claimants in lawsuits accusing the company’s Yaz and Yazmin birth control pills of causing blood clots that also led to strokes and heart attacks.

If your doctor has prescribed a medication which caused injuries or left you disabled, contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney to find out what civil action you may be able to file for compensation in regards to the pain and loss you may have suffered.