The morcellator is a popular surgical instrument used in modern medicine. However, medical experts warn patients that this device carries the potential risk to cause cancer in some individuals. Anyone considering using this device should be aware of the potential side effects, and be aware of all possible risks involved in using the power morcellator.

Morcellation is a surgical treatment used to cut and remove large masses of tissue during laparoscopic surgery. The device typically consists of a hollow cylinder that penetrates the abdominal wall, with sharp edges at the endpoints of the instrument. Typically, the power morcellator is only used in laparoscopic surgeries, such as hysterectomy procedures, from which much of the controversy has originated.

The morcellation cancer concern comes from one hysterectomy procedure, the uterine fibroid procedure in particular. It has been discovered that some of the women that undergo the uterine fibroid removal surgery, that the fibroid contained a uterine sarcoma sac inside their body, which is composed of cancer cells. Once the morcellator ruptures and removes the fibroid sac, it allows the cancer to spread rapidly through the body.

Overview of Morcellator Risks and Benefits

Generally, women typically choose to use power morcellators for their hysterectomy procedures because they are less invasive, are advertised to be cutting edge, and are said to require shorter hospitals stays. With the severe risk of uterine cancer in mind, healthcare professionals encourage patients to closely examine any potential benefits and risks the morcellator offers. These risks and benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Morcellators offer less invasive surgery. While doctors do not absolutely need the morcellator device to perform hysterectomy procedures, it certainly helps. In contrast to potential shaky hands or switching tools between different cuts, the morcellator uses a tube-shaped motorized blade that is then inserted through a small hole in the abdomen. This would ideally allow complete accuracy to make the tiny and delicate incision, and would allow the tissue to be pulled up through the tube in pieces.
• The power morcellator poses a potential threat to very few patients. When the morcellator first came out, gynecologists knew that one of the potential risks could be the spread of uterine cancer. While uncommon, the occurrences are high enough in number to be observed. However, most recent power morecellator studies indicate that the women who experience this side effect are in the minority.
• There may be safety sacs for the power morecellator. Healthcare professionals state that using protective surgical bags might prevent the risk of uterine sarcoma. Surgeons in other fields often use these bags when cutting up suspicious tissue inside the body, however this practice never caught on in the hysterectomy field. Many doctors complain that the bags are cumbersome, flimsy, difficult to use, or get in the way of the surgery. However, with news of morcellator cancer injuries becoming widespread knowledge, attitudes are quickly changing about the safety sacs.
• Many medical experts recommend alternatives to the laparascopic power morcellator. Due to the serious risks involved in morcellator procedures, doctors are recommending that women seek different surgical hysterectomy methods. An obvious one would be a traditional, well-trained human surgeon as technology does not replace the need for human skill and improvisation. Additionally, it has been suggested that it may be more effective to pull the uterus out the through vagina, or simply remove it during open surgery.
• Hospitals are now disclosing the risks of morcellator devices. The power morcellator debate has caused another significant change in the medical community — several hospitals are new requiring their doctors to advise women about the risk of cancer spreading from laparascopic power morcellators.