Getting a lumpectomy to remove an area of breast tissue may sound scary, but the procedure is pretty straightforward. Also known as a partial mastectomy, problematic breast tissue gets surgically removed.
A radiologist performs a wire-guided lumpectomy to assist your surgeon in finding the proper breast tissue that needs removing. Knowing what to expect can help take some of the fear of the unknown away. Before a surgery, your radiologist will take pictures of your breast with a mammogram or ultrasound. Once the area that needs removal is found, that part of your breast is numbed.
This kind of lumpectomy takes about an hour from start to finish. After your breast area is numb, you’ll have a thin wire inserted into the target area. The wire will stick out of your skin, but some bandages keep you from seeing or moving it. The wire is removed when the area of breast tissue is removed.
Wire-guided lumpectomies are used to remove a concerning spot on the breast that doctors can see from an ultrasound but can’t otherwise feel. There are two parts to this kind of surgery:
- You’re put under local anesthesia to have a guidewire inserted before the operation.
- The abnormal breast tissue and wire are removed while you’re under general anesthesia.
Some side effects of a wire-guided lumpectomy to watch out for include:
- Discomfort and bruising at the incision site
- Pain where the wire is inserted
- In rare cases, a collapsed lung from the wire-guide insertion
Getting the wire placed is typically the main concern for most patients. Depending on your doctor and hospital, you may have the wire put into place the same day as your lumpectomy. Some hospitals may prefer to insert the wire the day before. Your doctor will numb you before inserting the wire. If this is done the day before the operation, your doctor will tape the other end of the wire to your chest to keep it in place.
It’s common to feel a little sting within the first few minutes of the numbing. You might also feel some discomfort around the wire insertion area. Your doctor will tell you what you can and can’t do as you prepare for your lumpectomy.
As you’re undergoing the actual breast biopsy, you won’t be awake for the procedure. You’ll be given anesthesia to put you to sleep while the doctor operates on your breast. The wire will also be taken out once the biopsy is complete.
