Yet another warning from FDA against Removal of Uterine Fibroids with Ultrasonic Aspirators

FDA issued a guidance against use of Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirators for removal of uterine fibroids because of risk of unintended spread of uterine cancer in the process of suction by the aspirators, thereby, worsening the patient’s odds for survival.

Ultrasonic aspirators are multifunctional devices that break up and emulsify both hard and soft tissues with ultrasound energy and then suck them out of the body through a small incision. They're used by a wide variety of surgeons in both open and laparoscopic procedures, including the cytoreduction of advanced malignancies that can't be removed completely.

The FDA said that the device’s oscillating tip can disperse the tissue that it breaks up with ultrasonic waves, despite the fact that it is designed to suck up the tissue, and the risk of disseminating cancer cells is outweighed by the aspirator’s benefits, which include “more extensive tumor debulking, little or no collateral thermal damage, and the ability to avoid organ resection.”

However, when it comes to removing uterine fibroids, the risk of spreading occult cancer is not outweighed by the benefits, "particularly since there are alternative treatment options available," the FDA stated. The agency noted that there is "no reliable preoperative screening procedure to detect uterine sarcoma in women with presumed benign fibroids."

Under this guidance, the FDA also requires the manufacturers to add a contraindication label to labeling of the devices, with or without 510(k) clearances, within 120 days of the Oct. 30 release of the guidance: CONTRAINDICATION: This ultrasonic surgical aspirator device is not indicated for and should not be used for the fragmentation, emulsification, and aspiration of uterine fibroids.

ACOG has however openly opposed the FDA guidance against use of ultrasonic aspirators for fibroid removal by stating it to be “too rigid and eliminates patient choice.” ACOG also disagrees with FDA regarding existence of other safer alternatives to remove the fibroids and claims that abdominal hysterectomy carries more risk.

The US FDA  has already issued a communication discouraging the use of power morcellator was issued on April 17, 2014 and have resulted in 4% decline in rate of laparoscopic hysterectomies, says the results of cross sectional study published in forthcoming issue of Journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

FDA issued the statement because of advocacy and anti-morcellator campaign by Amy Reed, MD, PhD, an anesthesiologist who died because of uterine leiomyosarcoma on Wednesday, May 24 at age of 44.

She underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy in October 2013 for fibroid, but her undiagnosed, occult uterine leiomyosarcoma was upstaged because of dispersion in abdominal cavity by the use of power morcellator. Since then, the power morcellator is the focal point of a four-year debate that has divided the surgical field.

Based on an analysis of currently available data, the FDA has estimated that approximately 1 in 350 women who undergo hysterectomy or myomectomy for fibroids is found to have an unsuspected uterine sarcoma. 

FDA guidance PDF

Related articles:

Laparoscopic hysterectomies forleiomyomas on decline after FDA communication discouraging the use of power morcellator.

Debate escalates over morcellation ofuterine and fibroid specimens in Minimal Invasive Surgeries after FDA permits the marketing of PneumoLiner!

Power Morcellator: A Boon or Curse?Dr. Amy Reed, a staunch opponent of power morcellator loses battle to uterine cancer.