Keith Reisler, MD, is an Ob/Gyn physician and a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, where he researches treatment for fibroid tumors. Dr. Keith Reisler advocates for minimally-invasive procedures for cancer patients and is part of an ongoing discussion of which tools and practices are safest.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued statements about laparoscopic power morcellators, which are medical devices used during typically minimally invasive surgeries to remove unwanted or cancerous tissues. The device uses a small blade to cut unwanted tissue into small pieces which is then removed via a small incision site – the low impact of this surgery is such that recovery time is typically short and there is little risk of infection.
However, the FDA and other experts in the field are concerned about possible side-effects and unforeseen issues with these devices, especially in cases when cancerous cells and polyps are involved. Laparoscopic power morcellators are often used to remove non-cancerous growths or polyps from the uterus of the patient, but such patients often also have a small chance of undiagnosed cancer in the same area. The action of the device can spread cancerous cells beyond their initial growth site, making the patient’s odds of developing problematic cancer that is harder to treat greater. For this reason, the FDA and many Ob/Gyn physicians now refuse to use the device in case of doing more harm than good.
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