Mastectomy

Mastectomy Treatment & Diagnostics in Chembur, Mumbai

Mastectomy

Mastectomy is a medical term for the surgical removal of breast tissue either partially or entirely from one or both breasts. A surgeon will perform mastectomy when cancer has spread to more significant parts of the breast tissues. 

What do we need to know about the procedure?

• Your doctor will take your complete medical record and will recommend different medical tests.
• Your doctor will explain different mastectomy types and ask you to sign a consent form to proceed with the surgery. 
• Your doctor will instruct you to not drink, smoke and eat a night before the procedure. 
• Your doctor will ask you to remove all the jewelry, clothes and you will be given a gown to wear. 
• Your blood pressure, pulse rate, heart rate and oxygen level will be monitored before mastectomy. 
• Your doctor will make an incision considering the type of mastectomy. The breast reconstruction operation can be performed concurrently with or after a mastectomy. 
• The breast reconstruction procedure is to restore the breast form.
• Your doctor will suture the incision after mastectomy. The drainage from the surgical site tubes is linked to the breast region and the drainage bags. The tumor tissue removed will be sent to a lab for examination.

To know more, you can search for mastectomy surgery near you or a mastectomy surgeon in Mumbai.

What are the types of mastectomy?

• Total or simple mastectomy: In this type of mastectomy, the surgeon removes the entire breasts leaving the lymph nodes and chest wall muscles. 
• Modified radical mastectomy: In this type of mastectomy, the surgeon removes the whole breast going for chest wall muscles and level III underarm lymph nodes. 
• Radical mastectomy: In this type of mastectomy, the entire breast is removed, including the chest wall muscles and underarm lymph nodes.
• Nipple-sparing mastectomy: In this type of mastectomy, the nipple and areola are left cancer-free and the rest of the breast tissue is removed. 
• Skin-sparing mastectomy: In this type of mastectomy, the surgeon removes the nipple and areola and breast tissues leaving the breast skin. 

Who qualifies for the procedure? What are the symptoms that lead to the procedure?

• Size of breast tumor
• How widely the cancer has spread
• Chances of cancer returning
• Tolerance for radiation therapy 
• Individual choice related to aesthetic concerns 

 Why is the procedure conducted?

A doctor will recommend mastectomy for the following conditions: 

• DCIS - Ductal carcinoma in situ or noninvasive breast cancer
• Locally recurrent breast cancer
• Breast cancer stages I, II and III
• Paget's disease of the breast
• Inflammatory breast cancer — after chemotherapy

When do you need to see a doctor?

Mastectomy and prosthetic reconstruction can preserve your breasts' look, make you cancer-free and prevent you from undergoing further surgeries. Your doctors will guide you in the best possible way and look for the best opportunity for you. 

You can request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chembur, Mumbai.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

What are the benefits?

The benefits of mastectomy include:

• Avoids the need for radiation treatment
• No requirement for regular mammograms after mastectomy
• Patients who get mastectomy have a lesser chance of local recurrence

What are the complications?

Some post-mastectomy complications include:

• Infection or bleeding 
• Breast soreness
• Pain in the breasts
• Anesthesia side effects
• Swelling in the arms 
• A build-up of fluid (seroma) or blood (hematoma) in the wound 

Conclusion

There are different types of mastectomy procedures. The surgeon doing the mastectomy, the oncologist and the plastic surgeon performing the reconstruction should all be involved in the decision. The type of procedure will depend on different factors: tumor grade, age, health condition, location of the tumor, and severity of the malignancy.