Lumpectomy--anesthesia and followup question....??

breastquest

A bit confused on this one, surgeon says local anesthesia, surgery takes 30 minutes.... like colonoscopy anesthesia--I'm thinking something like propofol??? Other articles I've read say --general. I'll assume you get more if what they are taking out is larger and is more involved??? But, maybe you guys can clear this up for me?

Also, once you are done and go home, what next? Do you come back to surgeon for any removal of stitches or is that it? Or do you schedule (during surgery day) another meeting to discuss radiation or pathology results in a few weeks?

Inquiring minds like mine, would like to know. Thx!

ctmbsikia

Are you having a surgical biopsy, or you have a proven tumor that is being removed?

A 30 minutes local sounds like a biopsy to me and that would be normal. My actual "cancer" surgery was almost 3 hours and it was done under general anesthesia. I had dissolving stitches. Already had the post op appt. made when made the surgery date. My surgeon called with pathology results as soon as they were available.

Hope that helps. Best wishes to you.

bravepoint

I had a small lump at about 12 o'clock between my nipple and collar bone. I had a general anesthetic for about an hour's surgery. My stitches dissolved. I went back to see the surgeon about 10 days post op when the biopsy results were in. Appointments with radiation and medical oncologists were scheduled after that.

Hope this answer some of your questions. Good luck.

MinusTwo

breastquest - it would help if you go to My Profile and enter your diagnosis & treatment plans so we get the whole picture.

I tend to agree with the ladies above. If you're having an 'excisional biopsy' it might with with something short acting like Propofol. If you're having a lumpectomy, I would expect a general anesthesia and a longer surgery.

Khakitag

I had an excisional biopsy and my surgeon strongly suggested General. It took about an hour. I made the follow up appointment when I went for the surgery. That’s when he planned on giving me results, but since it was 3 weeks away, I went and picked up my results. He didn’t get clean margins anyways, so back I’ll have to go.

Beesie

I may be confusing you with someone else, but if have it right, from your other posts that I responded to, I believe that your diagnosis is a very tiny DCIS. That being the case, the procedure you describe makes sense. Usually patients are put under general anaesthesia for a lumpectomy, but your surgery will be pretty much the same as an excisional biopsy, with no nodes being removed and only a tiny area of DCIS being cut out. This means it should be a very quick easy surgery. In this situation, a lighter anaesthesia, such as that used for a colonoscopy, makes perfect sense. You'll still be knocked out, but just barely.

As for follow-up, before you leave, your surgeon will probably schedule you for a follow-up appointment to review the pathology and to check the incision. Or he might ask you to call his office the next day to schedule the appointment. I expect there will be no stitches to remove - the incision will likely be closed with dissolving stitches, possibly just covered with steristrips or maybe some tape.

breastquest

Thx, everyone. I am hoping it is as quick as the surgeon says, but we will see. I will update after surgery. Thx for all responses.