Missing Clip

ik0106

I had a bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders on 7/11/19. My surgeon called and said the pathology report was good, no lymph node involvement, no other issues besides the original cancerous mass. However he said the clip they put in during my biopsy was not found in the pathology. He said it could have just got lost among the blood, etc. and tossed out or it could have moved and the last scenario is that they never removed it which would indicate part of my cancerous tumor (it was very small 6mm) was not fully removed. I have to go for a chest xray on Monday to see if its still there. If it is there he said I will either need a small surgery to remove it or radiation. Has this happened to anyone else?

DCMCD57

This happened to me after my lumpectomy. The surgeon never saw either of the two clips, inserted during my biopsy. I had a mammogram the week after my surgery and fortunately no clips were found. Hopefully your x-ray will be clear, so you can get on with your recovery

WC3

You would think they would use a fluoroscope to find it in those instances.

I hope it just got lost in the surgical waste.

ik0106

The xray found my clip. My doctor believes it moved from the spot it originally was. I am going to eventually have an excision to remove it and the area immediately around it as a precaution but he first has to talk to the plastic surgeon and see when this can be done because I am going through reconstruction

hodgepodge

Glad you got a definitive answer k0106, but I am so sorry that you are having to go through this!