Most of our hair relaxer uterine fibroid lawsuits involve women who require a hysterectomy to treat their condition. But our lawyers are also seeing claims from victims who need a myomectomy to treat fibroids that chemical hair straighteners may have caused.
We believe myomectomy claims may also receive significant settlement compensation in the new hair relaxer class action lawsuit.
The page talks about myomectomy lawsuits in this litigation and speculates about the settlement payouts victims might receive. Elsewhere, we give you the latest hair relaxer lawsuit update tracking where we are in the litigation.
If you had a myomectomy from fibroids and you were a regular user of hair relaxers, contact our law firm today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.
Myomectomy
A myomectomy is the name of the procedure by which uterine fibroids are surgically removed without removal of the uterus itself. The procedure is often indicated for women with uterine fibroids causing symptoms such as heavy bleeding, pain, or pressure on the bladder or rectum. The procedure is typically performed on women who experience symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and pressure or fullness in the lower abdomen.
A myomectomy is performed instead of a hysterectomy in hopes of preserving the uterus and fertility. So it is often an option for women who wish to become pregnant in the future. There are several methods of myomectomy, including hysteroscopic myomectomy, laparoscopic myomectomy, and abdominal myomectomy. The choice of method depends on the size and location of the fibroids, as well as the patient’s individual health and preferences.
Myomectomy Risks
A myomectomy is generally a low-risk procedure. But there are seven primary risks of a myomectomy:
- Bleeding: There may be heavy bleeding during the surgery, and excessive bleeding may require blood transfusions.
- Infection: Infection may occur after the surgery, which may require antibiotics or further treatment.
- Adhesions: Scar tissue may form after surgery, which may cause pain, bowel obstruction, or infertility.
- Damage to surrounding organs: In rare cases, the procedure may result in injury to the uterus, ovaries, or other nearby organs.
- Anesthesia risks: Anesthesia may cause complications, such as an allergic reaction, breathing difficulties, or low blood pressure.
- Recurrence of fibroids: Although myomectomy removes the existing fibroids, it is possible for new fibroids to develop over time.
- Postoperative pain: Pain after the surgery may last for several days or weeks.
It is important to discuss these risks in the context of a myomectomy hair relaxer lawsuit because enduring these risks – whether manifested or not- is relevant to the victim’s pain and suffering damages.
Types of Myomectomies
There are four most common types of myomectomy. They are:
- Abdominal Myomectomy: Involves making a large incision in the abdominal wall to access the uterus and remove the fibroids. You usually see this procedure in a patient with larger fibroids. It is an invasive, traditional surgery. It requires the longest recovery time (4-6 weeks).
- Laparoscopic Myomectomy: Performed using small incisions and a laparoscope. The procedure uses a thin instrument with a camera attached. This is a less invasive option and requires a shorter recovery time (2-4 weeks). There is no question that the surgeon’s skill is essential to the success rate of this procedure.
- Hysteroscopic Myomectomy: Performed through the vagina and cervix using a hysteroscope. The procedure uses a thin tube with a camera attached. Doctors use this type of myomectomy to remove small fibroids in the uterine cavity.
- Robot-Assisted Myomectomy: Performed using a robot to assist the surgeon in removing the fibroids. This minimally invasive option offers improved precision and a quicker recovery time.
Fibroids
Fibroids are benign growths composed of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue that develop in the wall of the uterus either alone or in groups. They are called benign because they are not cancerous. But they are not “benign” when it comes to the pain and suffering they can cause women.
Fibroids vary in size from a grain of rice to a melon and can grow inward or outward from the uterus on stalks. Fibroids affect an estimated 20% to 50% of women of reproductive age, and up to 77% of women will develop them during their childbearing years. Often, fibroids are undiagnosed as only about one-third of them are large enough to be detected by a healthcare provider during a physical exam. Fibroids are benign in over 99% of cases and do not increase the risk for uterine cancer.
Fibroids are benign tumors that develop in the walls of the uterus. They are very common, affecting up to 80% of women by age 50. Fibroids are typically non-cancerous and often cause no symptoms, but they can cause a range of problems depending on their size, location, and number.
Some of the most common problems associated with fibroids include:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding: Fibroids can cause heavy and prolonged periods, which can lead to anemia and fatigue.
- Pelvic pain and pressure: Large fibroids can cause discomfort and pressure in the pelvis, back, and legs.
- Bladder and bowel problems: Large fibroids can press on the bladder or bowel, causing frequent urination, constipation, or difficulty emptying the bladder.
- Infertility and pregnancy complications: Fibroids can interfere with fertility and increase the risk of complications during pregnancy, including miscarriage, premature labor, and abnormal fetal position.
Myomectomy is what treatment path to limit the complications that come with fibroids.
Fibroids and Myomectomy
In some cases, fibroids may grow large enough to cause discomfort or interfere with a woman’s quality of life. In such cases, a myomectomy may be recommended to remove the fibroids and alleviate these symptoms. A myomectomy may be indicated when fibroids are causing symptoms such as:
- Heavy bleeding during menstruation
- Pain or pressure in the lower abdomen
- Frequent urination or constipation due to pressure on the bladder or rectum
- Infertility or pregnancy complications
Why choose a myomectomy over a hysterotomy? The significant advantage of a myomectomy is that it preserves the uterus to allow for future pregnancies, which is less invasive. But there is a risk of recurrence of fibroids which will require further surgeries, potentially a hysterotomy. There is also the risk of post-operative adhesions (scar tissue) or injury to surrounding organs that can cause women a lot of problems, which may include infertility.
Myomectomy Success Rate
The success rate of a myomectomy depends on several factors, including:
- the size and location of the fibroids
- the patient’s age and overall health
- the type of myomectomy performed.
Myomectomy is a highly effective procedure for treating uterine fibroids and alleviating symptoms such as heavy bleeding and pain. According to various studies, the conception success rate of a myomectomy is estimated to be 25% to 77% in available retrospective studies, with most patients experiencing significant improvement in their symptoms.
Uterine Fibroids Linked to the Use of Hair Relaxers
Hair relaxers are cosmetic products that use strong chemicals to force naturally curly hair to lay flat. They have been around for a long time and are primarily used by Black women in the U.S. Hair relaxers contain chemicals known to impact the hormone system. This led many doctors and scientists to raise concerns about the potential health hazards of these products, but there was never any solid evidence to back up these concerns. Recently, however, scientific research has confirmed that long-term use of chemical hair relaxers can increase the risk of hormone-related diseases such as uterine cancer and uterine fibroids.
The Sister Study
The source of this breakthrough finding has been a significant long-term study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) called the “Sister Study.”
Some of the early data from the Sister Study indicated a causal connection between regular use of hair relaxer products and uterine cancer.
The findings of the Sister Study concerning chemical hair relaxers were published in October 2022 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The Sister Study findings published in these journals were significant. They indicated that study participants who reported “occasional” use of chemical hair-relaxing products were almost twice as likely to develop uterine cancer (after adjusting for other risk factors).
For women who reported “frequent” use of hair relaxers, the risk of uterine cancer was 150% higher than other women.
Fibroids Have Long Been Connected to These Chemicals
Similar evidence has also been developing to show that chemical hair relaxer use can increase the risk of developing uterine fibroids.
This included a study published in 2012, which found that women who used relaxer products had a much higher risk of developing fibroids. A subsequent study in 2018 made similar findings.
The chemicals in many chemical hair straighteners are known to disrupt the endocrine system and interfere with hormone levels, which play a role in the growth and development of fibroids.
What Is the Expected Settlement Payout for a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit Involving a Myomectomy?
We estimate that a successful hair relaxer case involving a myomectomy to treat uterine fibroids will have a settlement compensation range of $100,000 to $300,000. The potential amount of a jury’s payout in these cases – as opposed to a settlement – for any of these cases is likely to be significantly higher, perhaps in the millions.
This is slightly below our lawyers’ estimated settlement value for hair relaxer uterine fibroids cases involving a hysterectomy. Why? Because a hysterectomy is a more significant procedure than a myomectomy, which increases the inherent value of the case in terms of medical expenses and pain and suffering. But if infertility is the outcome for the patient, the difference may be negligible.
These settlement value estimates are not random. But they are hardly an exact science. Mass tort outcomes are challenging to predict, so our settlement payout values are educated guesses.
Hair Relaxer Class Action Lawsuit
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) in January 2023 decided to combine all hair relaxer lawsuits into one MDL class action in federal courts. This consolidation is aimed at streamlining the legal process, bringing all cases together and handling them under a single umbrella.
The class action lawsuit will be in Chicago, overseen by Judge Mary Rowland in the Northern District of Illinois, who worked as a magistrate judge before being appointed to the federal bench in 2019 with bipartisan support. As of late February 2023, the MDL comprises approximately 70 hair relaxer lawsuits.
Contact Us About a Hair Relaxer Myomectomy Lawsuit
If you used chemical hair relaxer products for a long time and underwent a myomectomy as a treatment for uterine fibroids, you may be able to bring a hair relaxer product liability lawsuit and get compensation. Our firm is investigating product liability cases alleging that chemicals in hair perm and hair relaxer products caused uterine cancer or uterine fibroids resulting in a hysterectomy. If you used a chemical hair straightener and were diagnosed with cancer or received surgery to treat fibroids, contact our office today for a free consultation at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.