What To Expect With Lumpectomy - Breast Cancer.org

A lumpectomy can take about 60 to 90 minutes. The procedure takes longer if you have oncoplastic lumpectomy or lymph node removal along with ... AboutyouNewlydiagnosedIntreatmentFinishedmytreatmentLivingwithmetastaticdiseaseConcernedaboutmyriskCaringforsomeoneLearnBycategoryAboutbreastcancerTypesofbreastcancerSignsandsymptomsTreatmentoptionsSideeffectsManaginglifewithcancerBytypeResearchnewsPersonalstoriesPodcastepisodesVideosSurgicalimagegalleryCommunityDiscussionforumJoinourcommunityAlltopicsActivetopicsFindmembersSearchUsefulresourcesDiscussionforumguidelinesGuidetocommonabbreviationsNeedhelpfromourmoderators?DonateTreatmentOptions/Surgery/LumpectomyWhatToExpectWithLumpectomyIfyou’vebeendiagnosedwithbreastcancerandyou’reconsideringlumpectomy,here’swhattoexpectbefore,during,andafterthesurgery.Reviewedby2medicaladvisers AdvertisementSectionsBeforelumpectomysurgeryDuringlumpectomysurgeryAfterlumpectomysurgeryAdvertisementIfyou’vebeendiagnosedwithbreastcancerandyou’reconsideringlumpectomy,here’swhatyoucanexpectbefore,during,andafterthesurgery.Advertisement BeforelumpectomysurgeryAdvertisementWhenyouarriveatthehospitalonthedayofsurgery,youchangeintoahospitalgownandwaitinapre-surgeryholdingarea.AdvertisementBeforesurgery,aradiologistusuallylocatesthetumorusingamammogramorultrasound,andpreparesyouforaneedlelocalization.Afterinjectinganumbingagentintothebreast(localanesthesia),theradiologistinsertsathinwireintotheareatohelpguidethesurgeon.Thewiresticksoutfromthebreastandhastobeprotectedandkeptinpositionuntilthesurgerybegins.Somesurgeonsnowusewire-freelocalization,whichcanbedoneafewdaysbeforesurgery.Theradiologistinsertsatinyseedthroughtheskinintotheareawherethecanceris.Someseedsaremagnetic,someareradioactive,andothersarereflectiveandemitradarwaves.Onthedayoftheprocedure,thesurgeonusesadetectiondevicetolocatetheseedandfindthecancer.  AdvertisementThesurgeonmaymarktheplannedincisionsiteonyourbreast—usuallywithafelt-tipmarker.AdvertisementIfyouarehavingasentinellymphnodebiopsy,yoursurgicalteaminjectsabluedyeunderneaththenippleornearthecancersite.Sometimesthedyeiscombinedwitharadioactiveormagnetictracer.Thedyetravelstothesentinellymphnodesandhelpsthesurgeondecidewhichlymphnodesneedtoberemoved.Yoursurgicalteammaywaituntilafteryouhavegeneralanesthesiatoinjectyouwiththedye.AdvertisementOnceyouareintheanesthesiaroom,anurseinsertsanintravenous(IV)infusionlineintoyourhandorarmandtapesitintoplace.Then,thenursegivesyourelaxingmedicationthroughtheIVline.Mostpeoplewhohavelumpectomyhavegeneralanesthesia,butsomemayhaveIVsedationandalocalanesthetictonumbthearea.Advertisement DuringlumpectomysurgeryAdvertisementAlumpectomycantakeabout60to90minutes.Theproceduretakeslongerifyouhaveoncoplasticlumpectomyorlymphnoderemovalalongwithlumpectomy.AdvertisementSurgeonsusuallyoperatewithascalpelandanelectrocauteryknife,calledaBovie.Thisisakindofelectricscalpelthatusesheattominimizeandstopbleeding.Mostsurgeonsusehiddenincisionsorincisionsthatfollowthenaturalcurveofyourbreast.Manysurgeonsplacethescaralongtheareola(thedarkskinsurroundingthenipple),alongtheedgeofthebreast,intheunderarmcrease,orunderthebreastfoldsoit’snotobvious(calledaestheticscarplacement).It’sagoodideatotalktoyoursurgeonaboutscarplacementbeforesurgerysoyouknowwhattoexpect.AdvertisementThesurgeonremovesthebreastcancertumorandarimofhealthytissuearoundit.Thesurgeonalsomayplacesmallclipsoranothertypeofmarkertoidentifytheoriginalcancersite,whichhelpstheradiationoncologisttargetradiationtreatments.AdvertisementIfyouneedtohaveasentinellymphnodebiopsyordissection,thesurgeonremovesuptothreelymphnodesthroughaseparatesmallincisionunderthearmpit.Thelymphnodesgotothepathologylabforexaminationtoseeiftheyhavecancerinthem.AdvertisementInsomecases,arubbertubecalledadrainissurgicallyinsertedintoyourbreastareaorarmpittocollectexcessfluidthatcanaccumulateinthespacewherethetumorwas.Thedrainisconnectedtoaplasticbulbthatcreatessuctiontohelpremovethisfluid.Finally,yoursurgeonclosestheincisionandputsadressingoverit.Advertisement AfterlumpectomysurgeryAdvertisementWhenthesurgeryisfinished,youaretakentotherecoveryroom,wherestaffmonitoryourheartrate,bodytemperature,bloodpressure,andpainlevel.Stayingovernightinthehospitalisnotusuallynecessarybutmayberecommendedinsomecases.Youalsomayneedtostayovernightifyouhaveanoncoplasticlumpectomythatinvolvesabreastreductionorbreastlift,whichismoreextensivesurgery.AdvertisementRecoveryfromlumpectomyusuallytakesafewdays.Ifyouhaveamoreextensiveprocedure,recoverycantakeafewweeksormore.Yoursurgicalteamshouldgiveyouinstructionsonwhatyoucanexpecttodoonceyouarehome:AdvertisementAdvertisementTakepainmedication.Youmayreceivepainmedicationintherecoveryroom,andyoumayverylikelygetaprescriptionfromyoursurgeonwhenyouleavethehospital.Somepeoplewhohavelumpectomyareabletomanageanydiscomfortwithacetaminophen,ibuprofen,andice.AdvertisementCareforthebandage(dressing)coveringyourincision.Beforesurgery,yourteamexplainshowtocareforyourincisionsanddressings.It’sagoodideatoaskanyquestionsyoumayhavebeforeleavingthehospital.Somesurgeonsprefertoremovethebandagesthemselvesduringthefirstfollow-upvisit.Ifyouhaveoncoplasticlumpectomy,youcanexpecttohavelargerbandagesandpossiblyaspecialsupportbra,dependingontheextentofyoursurgery.AdvertisementCareforthesurgicaldrain.Ifyouhaveadraininyourbreastareaorarmpit,yoursurgicalteammayremovethedrainbeforeyouleavethehospital.Sometimes,however,thedrainremainsinplaceuntilthefirstfollow-upvisitwiththedoctor—usuallyonetotwoweeksaftersurgery.Ifyourdrainhastostayinplaceuntilyourfirstfollow-upvisit,youneedtoemptythefluidfromthedetachabledrainbulbafewtimesaday.It’simportanttogetinstructionsoncaringforthedrainfromyoursurgeonbeforeleavingthehospital.AdvertisementKeepaneyeonyourstitches.Mostsurgeonsusestitches(sutures)thatdissolveaftersometime,sothere’snolongeranyneedtohavethemremoved.It’spossibletoseetheendofasuturepokingoutoftheincisionlikeawhisker—butyoursurgeoncaneasilyremoveit. AdvertisementExerciseyourarm.Thereareactivityrecommendationsandrestrictionsforyoutofollowafteryoursurgery.Yoursurgeonshouldgiveyouwritten,illustratedinstructionsonhowtodosimpleafter-surgeryarmexercisestopreventarmandshoulderstiffnessonthesidewhereyouhadthelumpectomy.Youcanusuallystarttheexercisesthemorningaftersurgery.Yoursurgeonalsoshouldletyouknowwhichexercisestoavoiduntilyourdrainsareremovedoryourincisionsaremorehealed. AdvertisementRecognizesignsofinfection.Yoursurgicalteamshouldexplainwhatthesignsofaninfectedincisionareandwhenandhowtocontacttheoffice.AdvertisementHerearesomeguidelinestofollowduringyourrecoveryperiod:AdvertisementAdvertisementRest.Whenyougethomefromthehospital,it’snormaltofeelfatiguedsoit’sagoodideatogetplentyofrest.Ifafterafewdaysyoustillfeeltootiredtoreturntoyourregularroutine,thereareanumberofwaysyoucanmanagefatigue. AdvertisementTakepainmedicationasneeded.It’spossibletofeelamixtureofnumbnessandpainaroundthesurgeryareainthebreast(andthearmpitincision,ifthesurgeonremovedanylymphnodes).Ifyoufeelpain,takethemedicationyourdoctorprescribedaccordingtotheinstructionsyoureceived.Learnmoreaboutmanagingpainandarmpitdiscomfort.AdvertisementTakespongebathsifyouhavedrains.Manypeopleareabletoshower48hoursaftersurgery,aslongastheykeepincisionsclean,dry,andcoveredwithgauze.AdvertisementWearagoodsportsorsupportbraonlyifyourdoctorsaysyoucan.Wearingasupportivebradayandnightforsometimecanminimizeanymovementthatmightcausepain.Ifyouhavelargerbreasts,youmayfinditmorecomfortabletosleeponthesidethathasnotbeenoperatedon,withyourhealingbreastsupportedbyapillowinfrontofyou.Peoplewhohaveoncoplasticlumpectomysurgerygetaspecialsupportbrafromtheirsurgicalteam.AdvertisementFollowthesurgicalteam’sinstructions.Youcantypicallystartanyapprovedarmexercisesthemorningaftersurgery.It’salsoimportanttofollowthesurgicalteam’sadviceandwalkaroundasmuchaspossible,aslongasyoulimitlifting,pushing,orpullingwiththearmontheaffectedside.AdvertisementAsnervesregrow,youmayfeelanitchyoracrawlingsensation,andyoumaybeverysensitivetotouch. AdvertisementAcetaminophenorNSAIDssuchasibuprofenusuallycanhelpeaseanypainyoumayfeelafterlumpectomy.Ifyouneedsomethingstronger,yourdoctormayprescribeopioids.AdvertisementWrittenby:KristineConner,contributingwriterReviewedby2medicaladvisers AnnePeled,MDSutterHealthCaliforniaPacificMedicalCenter,SanFrancisco,CAStephanieValente,DOClevelandClinicMollCancerCenteratFairviewHospital,Cleveland,OHLearnmoreaboutouradvisoryboard—LastupdatedonJune24,2022,8:01PMMorefromthistopicWhatToExpectWithLumpectomyWasthisarticlehelpful?YesNoAdvertisement