How Is a Mastectomy Done?
What is a Mastectomy?
A mastectomy is the removal of one or both breasts by surgery. Often times, the breast does not have to be removed completely. Mastectomies can be preventative, due to cancer, or due to suspected cancer in the breast tissue. A more conservative option to the mastectomy is a lumpectomy, where only the lump in the breast and a small amount of surrounding tissue is removed as opposed to a mastectomy, where the majority of the breast is taken out. Even if the breast is removed completely, it will not necessarily stop tumors from coming back.
The Mastectomy Procedure
There are five types of mastectomies. The most commonly used procedure is the total mastectomy, where all of the breast tissue is removed but the axillary contents such as the lymph nodes are left intact. Total mastectomy is very commonly done on both breasts as a preventative measure for men and women who have history of cancer in the family and want to avoid getting breast cancer in the future. When a total mastectomy is done, subcutaneous fluid will begin to leak into the chest. Draining tubes are usually kept in the chest until several days after the procedure.
A less common type of mastectomy which was used very often up until recently is the modified radical mastectomy, in which all of the axillary contents and lymph nodes are removed in addition to all of the breast tissue. This is modified from the radical mastectomy, in which the pectoral muscles are also removed. This procedure will prevent cancer from spreading to the breast area in the future but is the most disfiguring procedure of all the mastectomies.
The procedure that is becoming more common over the past ten years is the skin-sparing mastectomy, where the breast is removed through a cut in the areola of the nipple. This is not a recommended procedure if you also have skin cancer, but provides minimal scarring and the possibility of breast reconstruction if desired.
For cancers found away from the areolar area, doctors may be able to perform a subcutaneous mastectomy, where the area around the nipple is spared, but the surrounding breast tissue is removed.
Recovering from a Mastectomy
Depending on the severity of your operation, you may be able to leave the hospital shortly after your mastectomy is performed. Most mastectomy patients must stay in the hospital for one to three days following their procedure. Typically, mastectomy recovery takes about four to six weeks, but if you have a minimally-invasive procedure as opposed to a radical mastectomy, the healing time will be shorter. Do not to move your arms too much and remain in a seated or lying position for at least a week after your surgery. If you feel well enough to get up and walk around, walk for a few seconds at a time in order to gauge your pain level. If you are prescribed pain medication, you will probably feel more confident getting up and walking around while you are taking the medication. If you are not feeling well enough off of the medication, you should not attempt to be active while on the medication.
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