Women across the country are reporting they have developed uterine cancer soon after undergoing power morcellation surgery.

While the performing surgeons and the female patients were aware of some of the potential morcellator side effects before their surgeries, an aggressive form of uterine cancer was reportedly neither discussed or disclosed.

A power morcellator is a complex surgical tool primarily used for laparscopic surgeries which require a precise incision to be made in the abdomen. These devices are composed of rotating blades that are used to cut up uterine fibroids and other removable tissue, which are then extracted from the surgical site through a vacuum.

One of the most common uses of the power morcellator is during hysterectomy procedures, along with uterine fibroid removal, as part of a minimally invasive procedure.

The technology of power morcellation was first introduced in 1993 for uterine extraction, but has since been used for a variety of other procedures. Even though power morecellators have been around for the last two decades, there is still a significant absence of safety information regarding these products.

Past morcellator side effects that were more well known included damage to the surrounding organs like the bladder or kidney, along with unintentional bleeding, and soreness after the surgery.

Overview of Power Morcellation Cancer

However the concern of uterine cancer seems to trump the other morcellator side effects, due to the fact that it cannot be diagnosed before the procedure. A number of women often have undiagnosed leiomyosarcoma, an aggressive uterine cancer, which is often at an early stage before undergoing the power morcellation.

Due to the device directly cutting into the malignant fibroids, the cancer cells are released and allowed to spread throughout the body. Women who are diagnosed with uterine cancer after power morcellation often find the disease at an advanced stage with little treatment options.

According to the FDA, one in 350 women who undergo a power morecellator procedure may be suffering from leiomysarcoma, which is fatal in two thirds of all cases. On April 17, 2014 the FDA released a public warning, stating that power morecellators could potentially disturb and disseminate uterine cancer cells when removing uterine fibroids.

A month later, Health Canada had issued a similar warning and had requested surgeons to cease using the devices. In July of the same year, JAMA had published figures showing an increased risk of uterine disease after undergoing power morcellation.

In response to the growing concern of power morcellator cancer, Johnson & Johnson issued a voluntary recall of their power morcellators. In the same month of July 2014, the FDA conducted an Advisory Committee meeting to discuss whether or not these devices should be univerally recalled.

The agency suggested stronger warning of power morcellators, but voted not to recall the devices. However, a number of hospitals and medical institutions have banned using power morcellators due to this concern.