Needle Localized Breast Surgery

1. Arrive at the designated surgery center two hours before your scheduled surgery time. Do not eat after midnight the night before. You may drink sips of clear liquids such as water, juice (without pulp), coffee or tea (without cream) in moderation up to 4 hours prior to your arrival time. No soda pop or carbonated beverages are allowed.


2. Take all medications the morning of surgery (especially high blood pressure medications). Avoid any aspirin or aspirin-like products for one week before surgery.


3. You will be taken to the Radiology department approximately two hours prior to the surgery. The radiologist will review your films and then place a needle and wire near your mammographic abnormality. Local anesthetic is used in the skin. This is typically not all that uncomfortable as there are few pain fibers in the breast. At the discretion of your surgeon, Dr. Sickle-Santanello may perform this step with ultrasound guidance in the operating room once you are sedated.


4. A brief history and physical and minor blood work will be done before surgery.


5. You will be taken to the surgery pre-op holding area and an intravenous line will be started for a mild anesthetic (twilight). This will be supplemented with local anesthetic during surgery. You will be very comfortable. If your surgery is for breast cancer and sentinel lymph node mapping is performed, you will receive general anesthesia.


6. Surgery takes approximately an hour or less, you will then go to the recovery room area. Once you are fully awake, you will be discharged.


7. The doctor will have a preliminary report on the results of your biopsy that day. Oftentimes, the abnormalities are too small to do a frozen section on. You will be contacted the following week with your results.


8. Your incision is closed cosmetically with all the sutures under the skin. Leave the outer dressing on for 48 hours. Once this is removed, there will be clear band-aids in place called steri-strips. Do not remove these. The steri-strips will be removed at your office visit. You may shower or get the incision wet after 48 hours. If you bathe in a tub, do not soak the incision.


9. Breast biopsies are usually not that difficult to recover from. In an effort to optimize your healing we suggest:
   
   
   • Limit your activities the first 48 hours after surgery.
   
   
   • Wear your bra for good support. You may even want to sleep in it the first few nights.
   
   
   • Avoid vigorous physical activity for one week after surgery.
   
   
   • A prescription for pain medication will be provided. Typically, only two or three pills may be needed.
   
   
10. You will be given an appointment to discuss your results and check your wound healing in 10 to 14 days. If you experience any problems, please contact our office.