A simple mastectomy is a procedure that is sometimes known as a total mastectomy. The procedure consists of removing the entire breast, nipple, and areola.
Identification
A simple mastectomy is advised when there is a need to remove the entire breast in order to free the body of cancer cells. The procedure, if it does not include reconstruction, takes one to two hours and requires a one- or two-night hospital stay.
Features
To perform a simple mastectomy, surgeons will make a single incision across half of the chest. This will allow them to remove the breast and any lymph nodes that are cancerous.
Surgery
The final stage of the surgery consists of the surgeon placing a plastic tube which is the width of a pen into the breast area. The purpose of this tube is to drain any excess fluid, and it usually remains in the patient's body for a few days after the surgery.
After Surgery
Pain medication is usually prescribed for use for the first three to seven days after surgery. Most women do not report feelings of extreme pain, although some women do report feeling numbness for days after the surgery.
Considerations
If a simple mastectomy is performed in the early stages of cancer, then radiation is not usually recommended. Radiation will be recommended after a simple mastectomy if the tumor is larger than two centimeters, if cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes, or if cancer cells are found close to the wall of the chest.
Tags: cancer cells, days after, days after surgery, simple mastectomy, after surgery, cancer cells found
