Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Any amount of tissue, from 1–50% of the breast, may be removed and called a lumpectomy. Breast conservation surgery is a frequently used synonym for lumpectomy. Partial mastectomy, quadrantectomy, segmental excision, wide excision, and tylectomy...
are other, less commonly used names for this procedure.
The surgery is usually done while the patient is under general anesthetic. Local anesthetic with additional sedation may be used for some patients. The tumor and surrounding margin of tissue is removed and sent to a pathologist for examination. The surgical site is then closed.
If axillary lymph nodes were not removed before, a second incision is made in the armpit. The fat pad that contains lymph nodes is removed from this area and is also sent to the pathologist for analysis. This portion of the procedure is called an axillary lymph node dissection; it is critical for determining the stage of the cancer. Typically, 10 to 15 nodes are removed, but the number may vary. Surgical drains may be left in place in either location to prevent fluid accumulation. The surgery may last from one to three hours.
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The influenza virus, the pathogen that causes the flu, infect the cells of the respiratory system as shown in this animation. The immune system response to influenza virus infection is also shown.
During a lumpectomy, a small incision is made around the area of the lump (A). The skin is pulled back, and the tumor removed (B). The incision is closed (C). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
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Other Information
Lumpectomy is a common surgical procedure designed to remove a discrete lump, usually a tumor, benign or otherwise, from an affected man or woman's breast. As the tissue removed is generally quite limited and the procedure relatively non-invasive, compared to a mastectomy, a lumpectomy is considered a viable means of "breast conservation" or "breast preservation" surgery with all the attendant physical and emotional advantages of such an approach.
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