Breast Lump Excision Surgery

Overview

If you or someone you know discovers a lump in their breast, it can be scary and your mind may conjure the worst thought - cancer! However, a lump is not always a sign of breast cancer. There can be many causes of breast lumps, and the good news is that most of these causes are non-cancerous.

Having said that, it is still recommended that you consult a doctor as soon as you observe a lump in the breast. In some cases, the lump may need to be removed through surgery. This type of breast surgery is called breast lump excision or breast lump removal.

Let’s find out all about the surgery and why it may be needed. 

What is Breast Lump Excision?

Breast lump excision is a surgical procedure to remove a lump from inside the breast. The lump removed by this procedure may be cancerous or non-cancerous in nature. However, it is used most frequently to remove cancerous tissue from the breast. Breast lump excision is aimed at removing the lump as well as some healthy tissue around it, to ensure that all cancer cells are taken out of the body. 

Breast lump excision is also called “breast lump removal”, “breast-conserving surgery”, “excisional breast biopsy”, or simply “lumpectomy”.

The main aim of breast lump excision is to prevent a cancerous tumor from spreading to other parts of the body. A breast lump excision is considered less invasive than the removal of the entire breast. Breast lump excision ensures better breast symmetry as it leaves most of the breast’s appearance and sensations intact. You may need radiation, chemotherapy, or medication after breast lump excision to ensure that all cancer cells in the body have been destroyed and to prevent cancer from returning.

When is Breast Lump Excision Recommended?

A breast lump excision or breast lump removal surgery may be recommended if you have a lump in the breast, want a healthcare professional to evaluate its nature, and get it removed. You can consult a doctor about getting a breast lump excision if the lump is large, unusual in texture, growing in size, or causing discomfort. 

Hence, breast lump removal surgery or lumpectomy can be used to test and then remove a cancerous or non–cancerous lump from the breast. A doctor may start by carrying out a biopsy (removing a small amount of the lump to look for its cause and determine if it is cancerous) to test a sample of tissue from the breast. If tests confirm the presence of breast cancer in the lump, the doctor removes the lump by performing a breast lump excision procedure. 

How to Prepare for Breast Lump Excision?

• Before finalizing the surgery, you should meet with the surgeon to discuss the breast lump excision procedure, your expectations, the risks and benefits involved, and any questions you may have.
• During this meeting, the surgeon will also want to discuss your medical and surgical history. You should also divulge information about any medications you take, your pregnancy status, and allergies, if any. 
• As part of the preparations for surgery, you have to undergo physical examinations and imaging with X-rays or mammography. This helps determine the size and shape of the tumor that needs to be removed.
• The surgeon may ask you to stop taking medicines such as blood thinners up to a week before the surgery as these increase the risk of bleeding during the procedure. 
• If you smoke, it is recommended that you stop at the earliest to facilitate better healing after the surgery. 
• You need to stop eating and drinking liquids for up to 8 to 12 hours before the surgery.
• It is advised that you arrange for someone to give you a ride back home once the surgery is complete. 

What happens During Breast Lump Excision?

• Breast lump excision surgery is an outpatient procedure that can be carried out in a surgical center or at a hospital.
• Depending on your condition, the surgery may be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. 
• Once you are under the effect of anesthesia, the surgeon begins by making a curved incision in the breast with an electric knife that reduces the risk of bleeding. 
• The surgeon may fit a drainage tube to remove any excess fluid that may build up post-surgery in the place where the lump was located.
• The surgeon locates the breast lump and proceeds to remove the cells in the lump, along with some healthy cells around the lump to ensure that the entire tumor is removed. 
• If the breast lump is proving to be difficult to locate, a radiologist may place a marker in the lump and a guide wire leading from the surface of the breast into the lump. This can help the surgeon find the breast lump during the procedure.
• The lump is sent to a laboratory for further testing.
• During the procedure, the surgeon may also remove lymph nodes from under your arm on the side of your affected breast. 
• The lymph nodes are tested to see if the cancer has spread beyond the breast.
• Once the lump tissue and lymph nodes, if any, are removed, the surgeon closes the incision with stitches and applies a dressing to the operated area. The surgeon pays special attention to preserving the appearance of your breast as much as possible. 

How is the Recovery After Breast Lump Excision?

• After the procedure, you are sent to a recovery room where your vital signs are monitored while you wake up from the anesthesia. 
• You will be allowed to go home once the surgical team is satisfied with your post-surgical condition. 
• Before you go home, the doctor will prescribe pain medication, provide instructions about post-surgical care of the incision, and set up a schedule for follow-up appointments. 
• In the days following the surgery, you can expect some pain in the incision area. The pain medication should help with that. 
• The stitches on the incision may dissolve on their own or the doctor can remove them during a follow-up appointment.
• You can also expect some itching and sensitivity as the nerves grow back after surgery. This may resolve on its own with time or you may become used to the feeling.
• During the follow-up appointment, the drainage tube left in place during surgery is removed.
• At these appointments, the doctor may also share the results of the biopsy of the excised breast tissue. You can discuss what the results mean and what you should do next.
• The doctor may ask you to take sponge baths instead of showers while the stitches are still in place. They may also recommend wearing a support bra or sports bra and explain some arm exercises that you could perform at home. 
• If radiation therapy is necessary, it starts within a few weeks of the breast lump excision procedure.
• If you choose to have breast reconstruction surgery, it is done after the radiation therapy is complete. 

What are the Benefits and Risks Associated With Breast Lump Excision?

Benefits

The benefits associated with breast lump excision or breast lump removal surgery include:

• Definitive diagnosis of the cause of the breast lump
• Determination of the cancerous nature of the lump
• Starting prompt treatment after diagnosis
• Alleviation of painful symptoms
• Improved quality of life
• Easing the anxiety related to the uncertain nature of the breast lump
• Reduced risk of breast-lump-related complications

Risks

The risks or potential complications associated with breast lump excision surgery include: 

• Anesthesia-related risks
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Pain
• Tenderness
• Temporary swelling
• Poor wound healing
• Numbness in the breast
• Formation of scar tissue
• Breast appearance changes such as breast lump removal scar

Why Choose Medfin?

Surgery can be a daunting aspect, and feeling anxious is absolutely normal. The massive amount of information you can get from the internet may confuse you even more. This is where Medfin can help. Leave us the hefty task of finding the best hospital, the finest doctor, and the latest procedure at the lowest cost. Let us take charge while you sit back and focus on your health and recovery. Think surgery! Think Medfin!