Oncology Center
Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Breast Biopsy

Wire Guide


Your Procedure

This information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. MedSelfEd, Inc. disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
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Now it's time to talk about the actual procedure your doctor has recommended for you.

On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical gown.
You may receive a sedative by mouth and
an intravenous line may be put in.
Because the lump in your breast can only be detected through radiography, your surgeon will require assistance in locating the area in question. Before surgery, you will be taken to a radiology lab. There, the radiologist will inject a small amount of anesthetic in order to numb your breast.
Then, using your last mammogram as a guide,
the radiologist will insert a thin wire into your breast, moving the end of it towards the area of abnormality. This wire will serve as a pointer for the surgeon during your operation.
The radiologist will perform another mammogram in order to verify that the wire has been placed correctly. It is possible that the wire will have to be moved or repositioned - and a mammogram taken once again.
You will then be transferred to the operating table.
Your doctor will scrub thoroughly and will apply an antiseptic solution to the skin around the area where the incision will be made.
Then, the doctor will place a sterile drape or towels around the operative site . . .
. . . and will inject a local anesthetic. This may sting a bit, but your breast will quickly begin to feel numb. Usually, the surgeon will inject more than one spot - in order to make sure that the entire area is thoroughly numb.
After allowing a few minutes for the anesthetic to take effect, the surgeon will make a small incision.
Once the incision has been made, your doctor will begin cutting along the wire, moving towards the abnormality located at the end. You will feel some tugging and pulling - but you should not feel any sharp pain. If you do, please tell the doctor and you will be given more anesthetic.
Once the specimen is removed, the doctor may have it x-rayed in order to determine whether or not the correct tissue has been removed. Very rarely, the doctor may decide, based on this x-ray, to remove additional tissue.
Your doctor and nurse will remove the guide wire
and close the skin over the incision as neatly and as cosmetically as they are able.
Finally, a sterile dressing is applied.
Your specimen will be sent immediately to a lab for microscopic analysis. Your doctor will tell you when to expect result from those tests.

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