Clip is Missing...

Linda_M

Just got home from having lumpectomy...wire placement went fine, surgery itself went fine--EXCEPT for the fact that she could not find the clip when the excision itself was done.  It was on the mammo when they did the wire placement.  When the tissue went to lab they found no clip.  The surgeon then took out some extra tissue, still no clip.  So now, I  not only have to wait for the pathology results, but even if they are all clear, I have to wait another 4 weeks (when my body can handle it) or so for another mammgram to see if the clip is there somewhere or not.  If it is there, I have to have another surgery because obviously the 'bad' tissue will still need to come out.  Has this ever happened to anyone?  I am devastated by this.

catbill

Oh, Linda, I am so sorry to hear this.  We trust our doctors to handle this things for us, and then something like this happens.  I can understand why you're upset.  Who wouldn't be?  Is there no other way to locate the clip...a chest xray, maybe?  Having you wait 4 weeks seems awful.  I hope the doctors come up with a better idea.  Hoping for the best for you.

Linda_M

So am I the only one that has had the misfortune of this?  I am still stunned that potential 'good' news from the path report won't really be good news until I have another mammogram. 

Anonymous

Linda,

I had a BMX and they never found the clip.  I think I might get a Mammogram to see if it shows up on that.  Best of luck with your situation.

lisa-e

RottensteinLawGroup,  I reported your post because I think it is spam.  You are soliciting clients, a clear violation of the rules.

hymil

How big are these clips? Is it like a little lump at the tip of the metal wire?

Anonymous

Here's an explanation of the clip and why they use it.

Breast Biopsy Marker Clip

Marker clips used for breast biopsies are made of titanium or surgical stainless steel and are about 2 millimeters in size.  When the radiologist or surgeon feels a marker should be used, they are inserted at the end of breast core or needle biopsy procedures to mark the site of the biopsy for later reference.  This is an important step to take since most abnormalities biopsied are small or subtle and can become extremely difficult or impossible to identify after a core biopsy procedure. 

When a biopsy result is abnormal and an excision or lumpectomy is necessary, the marker clip allows accurate localization of the abnormal site for removal so that as little tissue as necessary is removed while optimizing the chance of clear margins.

Most patients have normal (benign) results from these types of biopsy, however the presence of the marker is very reassuring when seen on follow-up mammograms; it shows exactly where the area was biopsied. This avoids confusion in interpretation of follow-up mammograms and can prevent the need for future biopsies in that same area.

The marker is safe; sensitivity to the material is very rare.  In general women cannot feel the clip.  They do not set off airport detectors and do not cause interference problems in MRI.

Linda_M

I am having another mammogram on 2/10--I will be 2 weeks out from surgery.  The BS is convinced the clip is in there somewhere.  If it is in there, I will have surgery the following week to remove it and the tissue it is sitting in to see if the cells are clear or not.

SoCalLisa

Mine moved but they didn't go back in...they actually leave clips in the bed of the lump they

take out so they know where it was..and the radiologist can pinpoint where to radiate.

I still have the clips in and it has been many years..

Linda_M

SoCalLisa...that's part of the problem.  When excision was done, the clip wasn't there--it was there when the wire was put in, but something happened somewhere.  The BS (and me too) want to make sure the 'right' tissue was removed. 

wannaBnormal

Been reading for months, finally going to say something.  Lump I knew about in the left side, MRI found more in the right side.  Chemo started 7/16/10, good response, talked into clips.  Had a BMX with expanders 1/3/11.   The pathology report after mast. mentions clip on one side, not the other.  

My concern was baggie of water..steel clip...whats wrong with this picture.   The surgeon didnt seem to concerned about this.   Said it may have been in one of the "blocks" but just not in an area visible.  The report does indicate clear margins, so I'm wondering how they knew that now. 

Since everything was removed it didnt occur to me that maybe not everything was removed.   Now wondering if I should insist they figure out where it is/went? 

lrr4993

wannabenormal - that happened to me.  I had two clips in the left breast - one in my tumor and the other in an adjacent area of dcis.  When I got my path report I noticed that the pathologist only mentioned 1 clip.  I asked my onco about it.  Although she never explained why it was not mentioned, she pulled up a post-surgery scan taken of the removed tissue and it showed both clips in that scan.  They took this picture while I was still in surgery to make sure everything was out that needed to be out. I assume, but have never been told this, that the other clip is simply buried in a sample where it was not viewed by the pathologist.

flemishe

Linda--the same thing happened to me just this week.  I posted under the forum of not diagnosed but concerned (excisional biopsy error--wrong tissue taken).

cuz2

Wow, the same thing happened to me!  My surgery three weeks ago went fine, my margins are clear, but my surgeon informed me afterward that my clip migrated.  As a matter of fact, she took a little more of my tissue in search of my clip.  Ten days after my surgery I had 2 mammograms and now that it's visible I need to have surgery next week to remove the clip.  Although my surgeon did a nice job and I've been healing beautifully, I'm disappointed that a second surgery is needed for me to be able to proceed with radiation therapy next month.  Going through the wire placement was the difficult part of the process, so I dread going through that again. I know it could be worse, but the need for a second surgery will throw a big wrench in my work schedule.  In fact, I felt tempted to forego radiation altogether upon learning that I will need more surgery due to a clip that migrated.

I called my insurance company to inquire whether the second surgery would be fully covered by my insurance, and was assured I will be covered for removal of foreign matter. 

I noticed the site of my incision began to feel a little tender a couple days ago, and it feels very firm now - makes me wonder if I should wait a bit longer for the next surgery. 

Linda_M

Well, the missing clip/marker was indeed 'found' on mammogram last week.  Surgery is tomorrow morning for second excision and hopefully accurate diagnosis.  I had a good feeling about prior surgery and pathology--and it did indeed come back benign.  I am scared and not so optimistic this time around--just a bad feeling.  But, after having been reading this on this site for the last month and a half, I feel optimistic that no matter the outcome of the pathology report, I will handle whatever the outcome and already know that Tamoxifen is likely my future if no other treatment is necessary.

Thank you all for showing me what true strength and endurance is about--what a powerful group of women in here.  You bring a lot of hope to us newcomers.

Lisa_57

Linda,

The same thing just happened to me 2 days ago except the radioactive seed and clip were seen on the tumor right before my surgeon removed it. It may have dropped off on the draping that was over me, but the surgeon kept taking tissue anyway. I am to have a mammogram in 3 1/2 weeks. I asked if I could have an ultrasound sooner to locate the clip. My surgeon said yes, but if it doesn't show up on the ultrasound, I will still need a mammogram to be sure. Are there other options for locating the clip? Chest X-ray

Moderators

Lisa_57, welcome to our community! Good question re. the chest X-ray.

Linda_M, we second that about a powerful group of women in here. You inspire us every day.

VanSed

the same thing happened to me, they couldn't find the clip while having a lumpectomy....today I'm having a CT scan to see if they can locate it. Apparently it should show up there.if not, they will wait for the pathology tests to come back in 2 weeks.

Mistj1

I thought I wrote that it was so similar to mine. I am all clear from everything except finding clip. I go back in 4 months for my re. Mamo then surgery again

Beatmon

When I had mastectomy in 2012, the clip that was supposedly in my Rt. Breast since 2005 was never found on Pathology