Benign Breast Lump Removal Surgery

Overview

During a clinical breast exam, your doctor will check both breasts for lumps, masses (e.g. fibroadenoma), and other problems. Sometimes the breast lumps will be too small to feel, so imaging (mammography, breast ultrasound) will be required to detect them. Once these masses are revealed, sampled, and analysed, surgery may be required to remove them.

Why?

In most cases, benign breast tumors (fibroadenoma) will not need breast surgery – indeed, there are many reasons why a woman may choose not to go with a surgical excision procedure after being diagnosed with benign breast disorders: distortion of breast shape or breast size, the mass going away on its own, or the mass remaining stable in size. However, some women may choose to undergo breast mass removal surgery simply for peace of mind, or under the recommendation of their doctor.

A doctor may recommend surgery when the mass appears to be abnormal or if the mass is extremely large and growing, or causes other symptoms (discomfort, pain, etc.)

All general surgery and weight loss surgery procedures, whether they be big or small, carry risks. For the removal of benign breast tumors, these typically include:

What to expect prior to benign breast lump removal surgery

You may need to take antibiotics before surgery. Routine blood work is usually not needed but may be ordered prior to surgery based on the patient's age and the presence of any existing medical problems. You may be advised to stop smoking or go off certain medications before your surgery.

Benign breast mass removal surgery is an outpatient procedure (you will be able to go home after the surgery is completed). Before your surgery, a nurse or doctor will plan the site, clean the affected area, and consult with you for any questions you may have. Then, you will be brought to the operating room and be put under general anesthesia by our anesthetist.

The procedure itself usually takes around an hour to perform. Typically, your doctor will give you a heads up on how long the procedure should last.

The procedure

Breast-conserving surgery is a procedure that aims to remove breast cancer while preserving as much of the normal breast as possible. There are numerous types of breast-conserving surgery, however, the most common type of procedure for fibroadenoma removal is called a lumpectomy. During a lumpectomy, your surgeon will operate with an electric knife that reduces the risk of bleeding. They will then use that knife to make a curved incision in the breast tissue to locate and remove the mass. Sometimes, a drain tube will be used to remove excess fluid where the removed tissue used to be. Once the benign breast mass removal procedure is complete, your surgeon will stitch up the incision and a dressing will be applied.

After the procedure

As with any other type of excision procedure, such as lipoma removal surgery or pilonidal cyst surgery, recovery time for a lumpectomy will vary, but you should feel back to normal within a few days to weeks. Be sure to keep the area clean and dry to avoid the possibility of infection. Itchiness or soreness is common, however let your doctor know if you experience swelling or excessive pain.

You will need to arrange for a ride home the day of your surgery and we recommend someone stay with you for the first 24 hours at home. When you leave the facility after surgery, we will want you to go home and rest. Avoid making any other plans on the day of your surgery. Starting the following day, you can increase your activity as you feel up to it.

You will likely be given a prescription for pain medication following your surgery. The recovery nurse will discuss a pain control plan following surgery specific to you and your needs including activities like ice applied over incisions and a medication regimen. Oftentimes we will recommend taking Tylenol and Advil (same as Motrin, Ibuprofen) or Aleve in addition to the narcotic pain medication.