mardi 25 février 2014

Various Procedures Used In Breast Surgery

By Jerri Perry


For women that suffer from breast cancer, the best way to recover is to go for breast surgery. This is the only way in which cancerous tumors can be removed. The options available are numerous, among them mastectomy and breast-conserving surgeries. Surgeons can reconstruct breasts during the surgical procedure, or do it afterwards. Surgeries will also be used to check lymph nodes to ensure there is no spread of the cells. The two options of doing this are axillary dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Conservation surgeries for breasts are also called partial mastectomy. Basically, what happens is that the affected sections of breasts are gotten rid of while leaving the healthy portions intact. The removed sizes will be dependent on both the size and location of the tumors, plus several other factors. If there is requirement of radiation therapy after the procedure, small metal chips will need to be placed in the breasts. The chips serve to mark the different areas that will need to undergo radiation treatment.

During the procedure known as lumpectomy, the lumps in breasts are removed, in addition to the margins in the surroundings. The margins consist of normal tissue. Radiation treatments are scheduled after lumpectomy. If in any case adjuvant chemotherapy is to be given, then surgeons will delay radiation therapy until after chemotherapy.

In quadrantectomy, more tissue is removed than is done in lumpectomy. One quarter of affected breasts are removed, which explains why it is called quadrantectomy. Radiation therapy is done after the procedure is completed. However, just like is the case in lumpectomy, if chemotherapy is to be done then radiation would have to be scheduled after that.

In case the cells are at any of the edges of tissues that are removed, they are said to have positive margins. In the event that no cancerous cells are found at the edges of these tissues, then they will be said to have clear margins. When the positive margins are there, it implies that there could be some cancerous cells left behind. This would require that the surgeon goes back and removes more tissues in an operation referred to as re-excision. If the margins cannot be cleared properly through tissue removal, mastectomy may be required.

As much as possible, patients will always need to schedule appointments with the surgeon so that they understand the possible side effects of the entire procedure. Among these side effects are pain, development of hard tissue, tenderness and temporary swelling. Moreover, just like in any other surgical procedures, infections and bleeding are possible side effects as well.

In the event that large portions of breasts are removed, their shape is bound to be considerably affected. This will make them look not only different but also unsymmetrical. This will call for reconstructive surgery. Alternatively, there are instances when unaffected breasts get reduced in size so that symmetry is achieved. Such reduction can be done during the first surgical procedure.

When considering breast surgery, it is essential to meet the doctor or plastic surgeon beforehand so as to have an idea of how breasts will appear after the procedure. It is then that one may discuss options that are available for correcting any anomaly. Patients will be more confident.




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