Mastectomy

Mastectomy Procedure in Kondapur, Hyderabad

Mastectomy is a surgical procedure that removes breast tissues to treat breast cancer. Doctors perform lumpectomy when the cancer cells affect only a smaller portion of the breast. The surgeon advises mastectomy when the cancer cells spread to a larger area of the breast.

What is Mastectomy?

Mastectomy is the surgical technique used by surgeons to remove the whole breast of the breast cancer patient. It involves permanent removal of the whole breast of the patient. People diagnosed with breast cancer undergo mastectomy when the cancer cells spread over a large area. The surgeon can perform a unilateral mastectomy to remove one breast. Other times, he can perform a double mastectomy to remove two breasts.

What are the different types of mastectomy?

There are six different classifications of mastectomy.

• Simple Mastectomy or Total Mastectomy – In the simple mastectomy or total mastectomy procedure, the focus is on the breast tissue.
• The surgeon removes the whole breast permanently in this mastectomy procedure.
• The surgeon does not perform the Axillary lymph node dissection (where the surgeon removes the lymph nodes from the underarm area). Only when found in the breast tissue, the surgeon removes the lymph nodes.
• The surgeon does not remove muscles beneath the breast.

Who should go for a simple mastectomy (total mastectomy)?

• Women with many or large areas of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ)
• Women who want to undergo preventive mastectomy go for this procedure. Women undergo preventive mastectomy or prophylactic mastectomy when they have a high risk of breast cancer. Some go for it when they want to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer.


• Modified Radical Mastectomy – Modified Radical Mastectomy focuses equally on the breast tissue and the lymph nodes.
• The medical surgeon removes the whole breast in this mastectomy procedure.
• The surgeon performs axillary lymph node dissection and removes level I and level II of underarm lymph nodes.
• The surgeon does not remove muscle from beneath the breast.

Who should go for a modified radical mastectomy?

• Women with invasive breast cancer go for modified radical mastectomy. The surgeon can examine the lymph nodes to locate the spread of cancer cells past the breast in this procedure.


• Radical Mastectomy – The most extensive type of mastectomy is radical mastectomy.
• The surgeon removes the whole breast.
• The surgeon removes Level I, II, and III lymph nodes from the underarm area
• The surgeon removes the chest wall muscle from underneath the breast

Who should go for radical mastectomy?

• The surgeon performs radical mastectomy when breast cancer spreads to the chest muscles. Today, it is a rare procedure as modified radical mastectomy has proven to be effective.
• Partial Mastectomy –The surgeon removes only the cancer tissues of the breast and some normal tissues surrounding it. Partial mastectomy is of two types:


• In Lumpectomy, the surgeon removes the tumour and some normal tissues around the breast in this partial mastectomy procedure.
• In Quadrantectomy, the surgeon removes the tumour and more breast tissues than lumpectomy.

Who should go for a partial mastectomy procedure?

• Surgeons remove the tumour and surrounding breast tissues in women with Stage I or II breast cancer. This is a good breast-conserving procedure.
• Nipple Sparing (Subcutaneous) Mastectomy – The surgeon removes all the breast tissues but does not remove the skin of the nipple and the areola.

Who should undergo a nipple-sparing mastectomy?

• Women with cancer-free nipples and areolas can go for this mastectomy procedure. Reconstruction of breasts is needed right after this mastectomy.
• Skin Sparing Mastectomy – The surgeon removes breast tissues, nipples, and areolas but leaves the skin above the breast alone.
• This procedure is beneficial if tumours are near the skin surface.

Who should go for a skin-sparing mastectomy?

• Women with large tumours near the skin surface can go for skin-sparing mastectomy.
• Reconstruction of the breast is needed right after this mastectomy procedure.

When to see a doctor?

• Book a doctor’s appointment if you have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Your surgeon will advise mastectomy after this.
• If discomforts arise around your breasts, or you feel a lump in the breast, do not panic. Instead, book your appointment with your doctor.

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Kondapur

Call 1860-500-2244 to book an appointment

How to prepare for the mastectomy procedure?

• The surgeon will run you through the procedure and explain it to you.
• The nurse or the surgeon will ask you to sign a consent form for the surgery.
• The surgeon will check your medical history to see if you are fit for mastectomy and conduct blood tests and other tests.
• The doctor will ask you to fast for some time before the surgery.
• Tell your doctor beforehand if you are about to conceive or pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any tape, latex, anaesthesia, or any medicines.
• Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take (both prescription and over the counter)
• Tell your doctor if you have a medical history of bleeding or if you take blood-thinning medicines like ibuprofen, aspirin, and the like. You will be required to stop them before your surgery.
• The nurses or the medical practitioner will provide other directions according to your medical history.

What are the benefits of mastectomy?

Mastectomy is beneficial in treating several types of breast cancer like:

1. Paget’s breast disease.
2. For recurring breast cancer.
3. Inflammatory breast cancer occurring after chemotherapy.
4. It is beneficial for non-invasive breast cancer also.
5. Mastectomy proves beneficial in the early stages of Breast Cancer also (Stage I and Stage II).
6. Locally advanced Stage III of breast cancer occurring after chemotherapy

What are the complications associated with mastectomy?

Although mastectomy is a safe surgical procedure, it can involve certain complications like:

• Bleeding
• Infection in the area
• Short term swelling of breast
• Breast soreness
• Lymphedema or swelling of the arm
• Pockets of fluid accumulated under the incision
• Complication due to general anaesthesia
• Numbness in upper-arm after surgery

What is the treatment or recovery process after mastectomy?

In the hospital –

The hospital will keep you there after the surgery, for a day or two for observation. The surgeon at Apollo Kondapur might suggest chemotherapy or radiotherapy to you depending upon your medical situation and depending on whether you are undergoing breast reconstruction.

At home –

• You will be prescribed medicines by your doctor for any pain after the surgery. After a week or two, you can have the over the counter pain relievers to treat discomfort.
• You will have to keep your bandage on till your next visit. Your stitches will heal on their own. The doctor will remove your staples in your next visit.
• If the doctor does not remove your drain after the surgery, you will need to empty it to clear off the fluid.
• The doctor will advise you to exercise daily to prevent stiffness at the site of the surgery.
• Keep the site dry and take plenty of rest a few weeks after the surgery.

Mastectomy is an effective surgical procedure and does not include fatal complications at all. Just like any major surgery, it will take time to recover from mastectomy as well. Do not be shy to seek help when you face discomfort or pain. Get help with household work and doctor’s appointments, to ensure you give proper rest to yourself and you will be good to go.