MammoSite Device

 Hi Sue Lin!  I'm glad you found this site!  I just finished the treatments Tues. Afternoon!  I don't know the different procedures concerning the MammoSite device!  Mine was implanted at the same time my Lumpectomy surgery was performed!

The surgeon took out the mass, & 3 nodes, & implanted the device at the end!  I had the surgery on Dec. 4th, Friday, & Monday I went back to her for the "switch!"....That meant, she pulled the "temporary" one out, & put a little larger one back in place. ...and filled it with saline....in her office!   I think they wait for all the tests from the surgery to come back "good"....and to make sure I was still a "candidate" for the device. 

The MammoSite she finally put in, was a "prototype"...a newer one, & I heard it costs a couple thousand dollars, compared to a couple hundred dollars for the first one.  That might be why your Mom is getting hers later.  To make sure she is still a candidate, I think.

Right after I saw the surgeon that Monday, I went over to the Radiology/Oncology dept, for the cat scan, & more "filling" with the saline solution!  I had other Pictures taken before every treatment, but not more cat-scans!   They take "pictures" with a different machine, to make sure it is still in the right place!  But not "cat scans"  So I don't think you have to worry about more cat scans, but ask if you are!  

I saw the Radiation dept. on Monday, but couldn't start the treatments until Wednesday!  They had to "plan" the right amount of radiation, & is tailored for each person! 

My treatments were only for about 8 minutes, & you can't feel a thing!  I am 72 years young, & I had a ball with the nurses, Ha!  I teased them a lot...& felt bad that I couldn't see them when I was finished! 

I started anti-biotics during surgery, because that is a "foreign" thing in your body, & your body will try & fight it!  I had to take more, because mine did start to get infected, but really nothing to worry about!  I am still taking them, but the site looks a lot better!  

I am so fortunate that I was a "candidate" for the device!  It was soooooo much easier than the 6 weeks of radiation!   The device has been around for over 5 years, but this new proto-type has only been approved for 5 months now!  It worked perfectly, & is very safe!   They took it out after the 5th day of treatments....It only took a second, a little pull, & it was out!  It hurt for about 10 seconds, while your body adjusts to the loss of that balloon...She deflated it first, by taking the saline solution out.  I was sooooo happy for it all to be over!  But it was worth it!  

So it does drain a little, around the tube, but they clean & put more padding after each treatment!

I know it sounds un-comfortable, but it is soooooo worth a little trouble, and give up the longer radiation treatments...I am really proud, that we caught mine in time, & that I could use the device!    I'll try & post what the device looks like, & the link that shows how it works!  And feel free to ask me any questions you come up with!  That's what we are here for!  By the way, my Sister in law, had the device placed a couple weeks after her surgery also...Just some doctors do it differently....So let me know!  Jeannette

Dec 11, 2009 06:10 am Jeannettes9565 wrote:   This is the MammoSite Device that I have!  It was implanted during surgery on the 4th, & I started the "treatments" on the 9th.  It is working very well, so far!  It is inserted into the cavity that was left from the Lumpectomy, & about 1/2 of it sticks out, & is held in place under my arm, with that mesh wrap!  Little "seeds" of Radiation are inserted into the "balloon" and stay for 8 minutes, then are taken out.  A "machine" of some sort, slides them through the "chambers" into the tube. The balloon is filled with saline, & the seeds radiate all around the balloon, to hopefully kill any left-over cancer cells.    I have a new "prototype" that is pretty new, & it should make it possible for more women to be candidates for this type of Radiation.  Your cancer has to be small enough, & not near the skin or bone structure, & not the aggressive type, & from what I understand, your breast has to be fuller... But I am amazed at how far we have come with treatments!  There are web-sites that explain this further, but thought some of you would be interested!   So basically this type of treatment takes 5 days, twice a day, & that's it!  So  far, all treatments & tests have come back very positive, with the same results as the longer Rads treatments...If you have any questions, just post them....Have a fun day Gals! Don't walk ahead of me, I might not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not want to lead. Just walk beside me & be my friend. Diagnosis: 10/26/2009, ILC, 1cm, Stage I, Grade 1, 0/2 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- [Edit] [Delete]

Jeannettes9... Denver, Co Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 53

Post a reply Dec 11, 2009 06:14 am Jeannettes9565 wrote: http://www.mammosite.com/breast-lumpectomy/view-a-demonstration.cfm This is the web-site that shows the MammoSite procedure~  Hope this can help someone, with their decisions, pre-surgery!   Jeannette Don't walk ahead of me, I might not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not want to lead. Just walk beside me & be my friend. Diagnosis: 10/26/2009, ILC, 1cm, Stage I, Grade 1, 0/2 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- [Edit] [Delete]