Mastectomy is the amputation (removal) of the entire breast. Mastectomy is performed in patients who have breast cancer in more than one quarter of the breast. If breast cancer is found at an early stage, mastectomy is successful in more than 90 percent of women. Additional treatments, such as hormone therapy, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, increase the chances of mastectomy patients avoiding a relapse.
Mastectomythat isbreast amputation , no matter what technique is performed, is a major operation. A mastectomy usually takes 1-2 hours. The operation time is longer when it is necessary to remove lymph nodes or when an operation to reconstruct an amputated breast is performed at the same time.
Mastectomy: before surgery
Before the operation, tests are performed to assess the patient's he alth. An anesthetic interview is also carried out - the doctor must know about all medications (including over-the-counter or herbal medications). You must not eat anything on the day of the operation.
Mastectomy: the course of the operation
The surgeon makes an incision and removes the breast tissue. The breast tissue is then sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope to see if the lesions are benign or malignant. In addition, drains are usually introduced - tubes that drain excess blood and fluid from the tissues after the wound is closed. The surgeon then stitches the skin. After breast removal surgery, a compression dressing is sometimes applied.
Mastectomy: after breast amputation
After mastectomy, depending on its type, the patient, who has no complications, spends up to a week in the hospital. The nurse informs the patient how to handle the drains. Until the seams are absorbed or removed, do not shower or bath - you can only wash with a sponge. You should also follow all the exercises recommended by your doctor, but avoid physical exertion. The first follow-up visit takes place one week after the mastectomy - in addition to checking the condition of the wound, she will talk to the doctor about further treatment. At the next follow-up visit, the doctor removes the sutures (if insoluble) and usually also the drains that drain blood and fluids from the incision site.
Mastectomy: possiblecomplications
Mastectomy is a serious operation, so you should take into account the possibility of complications related to anesthesia and possible infection. Symptoms that indicate complications after mastectomy and require prompt consultation with a doctor are:
- fever
- signs of infection (strong red tinge at the incision site)
- increased fluid secretion
- separation of seams
In addition, sometimes there may be numbness and necrosis in the skin of the breasts that require another surgery. If lymph nodes are also removed during a mastectomy, your hand may swell and damage the nerve in your armpits.