Breast Surgeon Explains How Her Team Avoided Delays After Needle Recall

Kathryn Eckert, DO, a breast surgeon at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, discussed how her institution responded when Hologic’s Brevera Breast Biopsy System Disposable 9 Gauge Needle was recalled in January 2026. The FDA later added stereotactic breast biopsy needles to its Medical Device Shortages List, citing a risk of metal and plastic particles dislodging from the device during use. Eckert explained that although breast surgeons at her institution do not typically perform biopsies themselves, her radiology partners, both within her hospital system and at community sites, moved quickly to prevent delays for patients awaiting diagnosis or additional biopsies needed to refine treatment plans.

To read the full discussion with Eckert and her colleague Harriet Borofsky, MD, visit: https://www.cancernetwork.com/view/half-a-year-into-the-breast-biopsy-needle-shortage-clinicians-lean-on-networks-not-workarounds

Transcript

CancerNetwork: When the Hologic Brevera recall hit in January, how quickly did your institution feel the effects, and what was your immediate, day 1 workaround?

Eckert: I’m a breast surgeon, and I’m not the one performing most of the biopsies at our institution. Those are primarily done by our radiology partners, and we’re in a unique position because we have both partners within our own institution and community partners at other locations who handle a lot of the mammography, ultrasound, and biopsies for our patients. From a global standpoint, our partners have been exceptional in making sure there have been no delays for our patients. They’ve been very forthcoming with us about communication, letting us know this issue has come up and that they’ve experienced changes in their practice patterns. As surgeons and diagnosticians, from the perspective of getting patients with abnormal imaging and sending them for biopsies, we’ve been grateful that our imaging partners responded quickly. We haven’t seen any significant delays in diagnosis for our patients, or in the additional biopsies sometimes needed to refine treatment plans.

Reference

Disruptions in availability of breast biopsy needles: letter to health care providers. News release. FDA. June 16, 2026. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://tinyurl.com/6ej3dufn