“… the largest maker of devices used in a popular uterine surgery… has suspended sales of the tools amid concerns about their potential to spread a rare but deadly cancer.”

A recent Wall Street Journal article http://online.wsj.com * noted “The action follows a Food and Drug Administration advisory on April 17 discouraging doctors from using the devices to remove fibroids—common but often painful uterine growths—because of a risk of worsening an often-hidden cancer.”
“Morcellators typically use long, tube-shaped blades to cut and remove tissue through tiny incisions, helping patients avoid open abdominal surgery associated with longer scars and recovery. The FDA has estimated morcellators are used about 50,000 times yearly to perform fibroid-removal procedures. Overall, fibroids account for about 40% of the roughly 500,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the U.S., by some estimates.”
”Fibroids are most often benign. But the FDA cited a 1 in 350 risk that women undergoing surgery to remove these growths have an undetected cancer known as a uterine sarcoma. The risk of spreading this cancer with morcellators—highlighted in a series of Wall Street Journal articles—erupted into a heated gynecological debate late last year after a Boston-area couple began raising an alarm.”
“The FDA also advised that, in cases where power morcellation is still considered the best option, doctors should inform patients about the hidden-cancer risk.”
* to read the full WSJ article “ Johnson & Johnson Suspends Sale of Device Used in Fibroid Surgery” by Jon Kamp highlight and click on open hyperlink http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304893404579531961812995326?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304893404579531961812995326.html
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