How to Know the Benefits of Mastectomy Surgery

A mastectomy is the surgical removal of the entire breast, usually to treat serious breast disease such as cancer. A mastectomy is also prescribed when a patient has widespread Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS). This pre-cancerous condition can spread to other parts of your body, so a mastectomy may be necessary. Here are some steps on how to know the benefits of a mastectomy surgery.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Different Types of Mastectomy Surgeries

1. Confirm with your doctor the kind of mastectomy surgery that you will have: subcutaneous, total, modified radical or radical.
2. A subcutaneous mastectomy removes the entire breast, but leaves the nipple and areola in place. The benefit of this is that it is effective in reducing the risk of the spread of the cancer, but still maintains the structure of the breast, and could ease the complications of plastic surgery, if the patient so chooses.
3. A total mastectomy is the removal of the whole breast, including the nipple and areola but not the lymph nodes under the arm. The benefit of this aggressive surgery is that you will have the inflicted area completely removed, reducing the risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of your body.
   
4. A modified radical mastectomy is where the whole breast and most of the lymph nodes under the arm are removed. Removal of these lymph nodes is called an axillary’s dissection. The benefit of this is that it takes away the chance of the cancer spreading to your lymph nodes, which could then, in turn, spread to the lungs or brain.
5. A radical mastectomy involves removal of the chest wall muscles (pectorals) in addition to the breast and auxiliary lymph nodes. For many years this operation was considered the standard for women with breast cancer, but it is rarely done today. The projected benefits of this are the same as the total mastectomy, in that it removes everything in that area of your body that could potentially be a new host for cancerous cells.

Things to Help You Prepare

6. Have your doctor provide information on the specific surgery you are having. Each has the benefits of fighting to stop the spread of cancerous cells in your body, but the specific one is determined by the level of severity of your condition.
7. Ask your doctor to go over what you can expect in post-surgery,and any advice on lifestyle changes that you will need to make. The benefits of this will not only improve your overall health, but will help you adjust physically and mentally to life after the operation.
8. Discuss the procedure with friends, family members or anyone who has gone through the procedure, and take notes of the benefits they experienced after the operation. While it doesn’t necessarily mean the same benefits will extend to you, it will give you a general idea of the experiences of others who were faced with the same situation.
9. Attend a support group meeting, and share your anxieties and hopes for your surgery. The benefits of support groups are often recommended by health care physicians, and these can provide a feeling of comfort for patients facing surgery.

Tips & Warnings

• Prepare of list of any questions you still may have for your doctor to answer in the pre-op physical you will be assigned.
• Consider continuing to attend support group sessions, as this can help your mental state after your surgery. You can also use this to help mentor someone who will undergo the same surgery.
• While it rarely happens with women with no allergies, reactions to anesthetics do occur in some cases. Ask your doctor about the odds of it happening to you.
• There are no guarantees with surgery, but undergoing the proper procedure should produce positive results. Always follow your doctor’s advice.