Mastectomy Surgery in MRC Nagar, Chennai
Mastectomy is a surgical procedure in which all your breast tissues are removed from your breast to treat or prevent breast cancer. Mastectomy is one of the treatment options for women who are diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Like lumpectomy, a breast-conserving surgery performed to remove only the tumor from your breast, mastectomy surgery near me is also very effective in preventing breast cancer from recurrence.
Breast reconstruction, which is a surgery to restore the shape of your breast, can be subsequently done following your mastectomy surgery in Chennai or as a second operation at a later date.
About Mastectomy Procedure
The mastectomy surgeons near me will start a mastectomy procedure by cutting to separate the breast tissue that has to be removed from the skin above and the muscle below it. If your surgeon deems fit, they will do an axillary lymph node dissection (removing several lymph nodes under your armpit and on the tumor’s side) or a sentinel node dissection (removing only the first few lymph nodes into which the tumor drains, i.e., sentinel nodes) after cutting.
If you choose to get your breast reconstruction right after completion of mastectomy surgery, a plastic surgeon would scrub in and perform the breast reconstruction procedure after the removal of the lymph nodes. If the reconstruction is scheduled later, your primary surgeon will put drains in your breast and armpit to stop fluid from collecting where the tumor was found. Now, the surgeon will close the incision with stitches and cover the whole surgical site with a bandage around your breast.
Who is a Good Candidate for Mastectomy?
Mastectomy procedure may be done if you/your:
- Breast cancer is impossible to treat with a lumpectomy procedure, in which most of the breast is speared.
- Are at a very high risk of developing breast cancer for the second time who chooses to undergo a double mastectomy surgery in Chennai,i.e., the removal of both breasts.
- Cannot have radiation therapy or decide to go for an extensive surgery than the therapy.
- Had your breast been treated in the past with radiation.
- Had a lumpectomy with re-excision (s), but the cancer was not eradicated.
- Your tumor size is more significant than 2 inches or 5 cm across, or the tumor is relatively larger than your breast size.
- Have developed a genetic factor, like a BRCA mutation, which increases the chances of second cancer.
- Are diagnosed with severe connective tissue disease, namely lupus or scleroderma, capable of making you sensitive to the side effects of radiation therapy.
Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, MRC Nagar, Chennai
Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.
Why is Mastectomy Conducted?
If you are at risk of developing breast cancer or diagnosed with it, mastectomy is recommended to remove all your breast tissue. Mastectomy is the answer to treat several types of breast cancer, such as:
- Early stages of breast cancer, viz Stage I & II.
- Stage III breast cancer, i.e., locally advanced, but only after chemotherapy.
- DCIS or Ductal Carcinoma in situ, also known as non-invasive breast cancer.
- Paget’s disease of the breast.
- Locally recurrent breast cancer.
Benefits Of Mastectomy Procedure
Mastectomy surgeons in Chennai have said that the benefit of having a mastectomy is that it lowers the risk of developing breast cancer in the same breast. They are also saved from taking radiation therapy, which is a must under lumpectomy to prevent the tumor from recurrence.
Risks Associated With Mastectomy
Generally, mastectomy is an effective and safer surgical procedure but involves some risks and complications since it's a surgery after all, which are:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Pain
- Development of seromas that are fluid in the form of pockets under the incision.
- Risks from general anesthesia
- Lymphedema, which is swelling of the arms if you had an axillary node dissection.
- Formation of hard scar tissue around the surgical area.
- Blood formation in the surgical site is called a hematoma.
As told by mastectomy surgeons in Chennai, the average expected recovery time is 4 to 6 weeks.
Though mastectomy is a standard surgical procedure, it is major surgery. The duration of surgery depends on the type of mastectomy you are undergoing and whether or not breast reconstruction will be done simultaneously. But, usually, the surgery takes around 90 minutes, which may extend to 3 to 4 hours if reconstruction is also done subsequently.
The list of items you must keep at home after mastectomy is a drain lanyard for a shower, shower seat, mastectomy pillow, detachable showerhead, wedge pillow, front closure bra with wide compression, cotton camis, and mastectomy drain jacket.