During the procedure
This procedure is performed by a surgeon in a hospital setting under general anesthesia. It usually takes about 1 to 3 hours without breast reconstruction.
Depending on the type and progression of your cancer, you may have one of several types of mastectomies:
- simple or total mastectomy: All breast tissue, nipple, and areola (dark-colored skin around the nipple) are removed. Lymph nodes are not removed but may be biopsied at the time of the surgery.
- modified radical mastectomy: All breast tissue, skin, areola, nipple, and some underarm lymph nodes are removed.
- radical mastectomy: All breast tissues, skin, areola, nipple, chest muscle, and lymph nodes are removed. This is usually not performed unless your cancer has spread to the chest muscles.
- skin-sparing mastectomy: All breast tissue, nipple, and areola are removed but not the skin. Breast reconstruction is usually performed right after the mastectomy.
- nipple-sparing mastectomy: Breast tissue is removed but not the skin, nipple areola, chest muscle, and lymph nodes. Breast reconstruction is usually performed right after the mastectomy.
Your surgeon will make an incision around your breast and remove the necessary tissues depending on the type of mastectomy you are having. After the procedure is completed, the incision is closed with stitches. Your surgeon will leave one or two plastic tubes to drain any fluids that may accumulate in the breast.
You can have breast reconstruction surgery during the same procedure or later.
After the procedure
If you were given general anesthesia before the surgery, you will be assigned to a hospital recovery room immediately after the surgery. As the anesthesia wears off, you may feel sore, groggy, or nauseous. Nurses will be available to assist you.
After the anesthesia wears off, you will either be discharged from the hospital or required to stay overnight, at which point you will be moved to a regular ward for the rest of your stay. Before you are discharged, the doctor or nurse will explain the steps you need to take to complete your recovery at home.
You will likely stay in the hospital for 1 to 3 days depending on the type of mastectomy you had. You may be given pain medication or antibiotics. You should avoid intense physical activity for several weeks. Follow your doctor's recommendations. The drainage tube in your breast will be removed at a follow-up office visit.
The tumor that was removed during surgery will be sent to a lab for analysis. Depending on the lab results, you may or may not require further treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy.