About Mastectomy
Mastectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the breast. There are various types of mastectomy depending on the reason for the procedure. Mastectomy is used for women with breast cancer. Though the entire breast is removed, surgeons will most often rebuild the breast following the procedure using tissue from other parts of the body.
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Simple Mastectomy
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A simple mastectomy involves the surgeon removing just the entire breast. While other variations include the removal of other parts, a simple mastectomy just deals with the breast itself. In these situations, the surgeon does not remove any lymph nodes unless they are located directly in the tissue of the breast. No muscles are taken out, either. This procedure is performed on women whose cancer is located directly in the breast tissue and has not spread, or those who want to stop a recurrence of cancer in that area.
Modified Radical Mastectomy
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A modified radical mastectomy takes more than just the breast. The surgeon will also remove lymph nodes in the armpit that are involved in the cancer. This is called an axillary lymph node dissection. Once again, the muscles of the breast are not disturbed. People with more aggressive breast cancer will have modified radical mastectomies so the surgeon can examine the lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread beyond the tumor.
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Radical Mastectomy
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A radical mastectomy is the broadest type of these surgeries. The entire breast is removed, the underarm lymph nodes are taken out, and the muscles located in the chest wall under the breast are extracted. If the cancer has spread beyond the breast and lymph nodes and into the chest muscles, a surgeon will perform a radical mastectomy. This type of surgery is not commonly practiced since the patient will be disfigured.
Other Variations
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A partial mastectomy only removes the cancer itself and some of the surrounding tissue. This is different than a lumpectomy because the healthy tissue is removed as a precaution. In a subcutaneous mastectomy, the breast is removed but the nipple is not taken off. This is a controversial procedure because cancer can still form in the remaining tissue and it is more difficult to rebuild the breast if the nipple is left in place.
Risks
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Though mastectomies are common and safe, there are some complications. If the nerves near the breast were cut during surgery, there may be lingering numbness in the area. The patient must keep the site clean following surgery to prevent infection and sometimes the area will take some time to heal, leaving a deep scar. Finally, the area may end up being extra sensitive.
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