nipple sparing mastectomy

I know this is years after your surgery, but I just recently had NS Bilateral mastectomy with direct implant reconstruction. Unfortunately 1 week later my final path showed cancer under the nipple and now I need a 2nd surgery. I'm just upset it wasn't found during surgery and I don't think she checked, which I expected it should. Hope you are doing we

Jackie, I am so sorry that you're going to need a second surgery. While that is certainly disappointing and frustrating, it isn't that uncommon. Many times, women need a second surgery after lx to get good margins. She was attempting to provide you with your choice of surgery, ns mx. "Finding" the extent of bc during a surgery isn't typically possible. You can't see it with the naked eye, so surgeons do the best they can. Pathologists look at cells under the microscope. That's when they know if the cells are organized like regular cells, or mildly/moderately or extensively disorganized. Being upset at your surgeon because she didn't "check", doesn't make a lot of sense.

Going through another surgery most certainly sucks. I initially chose to have lx, I was young (38) and didn't want to lose my breast. After my surgery, just prior to rads, I got an mri that showed 2 more areas of concern (one of them very close to the nipple). I ended up with a series of other surgeries, as I got a hematoma with my lx, and they wanted to do the procedures one at a time, to limit complications. I had my mx with no te. Then I had a te placement. Then I had the swap surgery. Finally I had my plastics work (my ps built me an actual nipple, made from cartilage from behind my ear and skin from my upper thigh).

I get that we make decisions about out treatment plans; about what is going to happen, but frequently wrinkles occur that we just have to deal with. I am very sorry you are struggling right now! (I just don't think your surgeon is to blame). ((hugs))

Hi Jackieo 1976. I had bilateral nipple sparing mastectomy with direct implants on 4/17 for DCIS. I just decided after 2 lumpectomies for ADH, and the second one did show DCIS hiding out, that I wanted to be done. The surgeon I used was Dr Ashikari whose father was the first to do NS mastectomy in the U.S. . I was told my nipple would be scraped during surgery to make sure there was no cancer in it. Well long story short, there was cancer in the right nipple and I lost it and will have nipple reconstruction at a later date. The left was fine. So sorry that you had to go through a second surgery. One was enough for me!

Hey SLL, I had nipple sparing Feb 12 and things are going well. I used aquaphor nightly to the nipple area and covered with a gauze pad for several weeks. I still do it about twice a week now. Helps keep the area from cracking and possible infection. I tried to keep things warm in that area to keep the blood flow going. Don't know the actual time frame but I was getting one of my fills, maybe 5 weeks out, and the PA mentioned you should be "out of the woods" as far as losing the nipple. I would just call immediately if you notice anything that doesn't look right. Best of luck!

I had my surgery Sept. 5th of last year. I saw the surgeon for a follow-up Sept. 21st. At that appointment she told me I was out of the woods. She said my nipples were alive at that point and the danger of losing them had passed. At the time of surgery I was told no caffeine while they were healing. At this appointment that restriction was lifted and she told me I could have my pumpkin spice coffee on the way home!!