Use of morcellation to remove fibroids scrutinized at FDA hearings

摘要

A boxed warning about the risk of in-advertentlydisseminating cancerous tissue from an unsuspected malignancy during minimally invasive surgery to remove fibroids "would be useful but not enough to address the issue alone," said the Obstetrics and Gynecology Devices Advisory Committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at a meeting last month (http://1.usa.gov/WENsAl). The panel's meeting (http://l.usa.gov /1IU9I<3) to discuss the safety of the procedure, which involves the use of devices called power morcellators to cut uterine tissue into fragments that can be removed through small incisions, followed a warning from the FDA in April about the technique (http://1.usa.gov/Rs8QXH). Many hospitals and physicians have announced that until further guidance is provided, they will no longer use power morcellators for this surgery.