Breast Care Center Miami offers medical office services to help treat patients with breast cancer. Women have a 13% risk of developing breast cancer sometime in their life, and we offer various treatment plans and procedures that depend on the patient’s symptoms and medical history.
Our team also performs surgeries to remove cancerous cells in the breast tissue. In some cases, we may also combine these with other treatments such as hormone or chemotherapy.
This article looks at the different types of surgeries we offer and what patients can expect during their OB-GYN ultrasound in-office procedures.
What are medical office services?
Surgeries are in-office procedures that physicians can perform both at a hospital setting and in private clinics. Our team conducts many medical office procedures, which may be more convenient than those performed in a hospital. Here’s why:
- Less waiting time is required for results.
- Less costly
- More flexible with scheduling times
Office Procedures We Offer
Some of the office procedures that we offer include the following:
Lumpectomy
Lumpectomy is a procedure that removes cancer cells in the breast tissue and some of the normal tissue in the surrounding area but leaves your breasts intact. We may also refer to this procedure as “breast conservation therapy” or “partial mastectomy.”
Your physician may remove lymph nodes to check if there is a risk of the cancer spreading.
After the procedure, you may recuperate at home, and you may feel some numbness in the affected area. If needed, we recommend taking pain medication. We also suggest wearing a good sports bra to prevent your breasts from moving, as this can cause pain and discomfort.
We can perform lumpectomy if:
- You have cancer only in one breast.
- You have a small tumor.
- Your physician is confident that the surgery will leave enough tissue to reshape your breasts.
- You can undergo radiation therapy.
You may not be the right candidate for a lumpectomy if you have:
- Lupus.
- Inflammatory breast cancer.
- A genetic mutation that increases your risk of developing breast cancer.
Mastectomy
Mastectomy is another office procedure that forms part of our medical office services.
We perform different forms of mastectomy, such as:
Total Mastectomy
Total or simple mastectomy involves removing all breast tissue, including the nipples, areolas, and skin. Your doctor may perform this procedure if you have a high risk of developing breast cancer.
They may also remove some lymph nodes in the breast tissue.
Skin-sparing Mastectomy
These in-office procedures consist of removing the breast tissue, nipples, and areolas, but most of the skin remains intact.
Many women prefer this type of mastectomy procedure as it causes less scar tissue, and they can also get their breasts reconstructed afterward.
However, we do not recommend this surgery if you have large tumors or near the skin’s surface.
Nipple Sparing Mastectomy
Nipple-sparing mastectomy consists of the removal of the breast tissue but keeps the skin and nipples intact. We can also perform breast reconstruction surgery afterward.
What happens is that we remove the breast tissue beneath your nipples and areolas to check if there are any cancer cells. Thus, if there is cancer present, we remove the nipples.
We recommend this type of mastectomy for women who have early-stage cancer near the outer part of their breasts.
After the surgery, you may not have enough blood supply in the nipples; therefore, the tissue may shrink or become deformed.
Your doctor may recommend nipple-sparing mastectomy if you have small to medium-sized breasts because if you have large breasts and undergo breast reconstruction, your nipples may look out of place.
Also, this office procedure leaves more breast tissue than other forms of mastectomy. As a result, the patient may have a higher risk for cancer than total or skin-sparing mastectomy.
The following section will discuss breast reconstruction surgery in more detail.
Breast Reconstruction Surgery
Breast reconstruction surgery recreates the breast’s natural appearance following mastectomy. It can also restore symmetry between the breasts, which can sometimes be asymmetrical due to previous pregnancies or weight changes.
Our breast surgeons work with plastic surgeons who reconstruct their patient’s breasts when they come in for a mastectomy.
That said, we perform two types of breast reconstruction surgeries at our clinic:
- Implant-based: The surgeon inserts breast implants which are silicone devices consisting of silicone gel or saline water. Some complications associated with this surgery include bleeding, pain, infection, and scar tissue, among others.
- Tissue-based: Surgeons use tissue from other parts of the body such as the tummy, thighs, or buttocks to rebuild your breasts. They look more natural than breast implants as they may also change in size if you gain or lose weight.
Now that you understand the different forms of mastectomy that we perform, we can move on to the next section: Ultrasound office procedures.
Ultrasound Office Procedures
Our ultrasound office team performs the following medical office procedures:
Ultrasound-guided Breast Biopsy
Breast ultrasound is an imaging technique that, unlike X-rays and CT scans, produces detailed breast images without radiation or high-energy sound waves. Therefore, it causes no harm in pregnant women. Instead, it provides additional information in areas that we see on a mammogram and helps us determine that there is no cancer present. That said, this also helps us determine if you’re at high risk for delivering your baby prematurely.
These OB-GYN ultrasound in-office procedures also reveal the tissue composition and blood flow in your breasts. These are essential factors when determining whether or not an abnormality is cancerous. In addition, this technology indicates where the lump may be located based on the plane of orientation of the lesion. Physicians can then decide if they should perform a biopsy to examine a tissue sample or fluid from the lump.
Ultrasound-guided Cyst Aspiration
Breast cysts are fluid-filled lumps that do not necessarily require treatment unless the patient experienced pain or discomfort. Ultrasound-guided cyst aspiration is similar to a breast biopsy. However, it helps us guide the needle into the cyst to drain its fluid rather than taking the cell sample. Then, the cell collapses, and we discard the fluid unless we need to take further exams.
Further to that, the primary purpose of this technique is to help with diagnosis and reduces the chance for cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body.
After the procedure, we recommend pressing a sterile gauze against the affected area as this helps prevent bleeding. We may also apply an antibiotic ointment and a band-aid.
The procedure takes about one hour or less, and you may eat before you come for your appointment.
The procedure is minimally invasive, but it can cause bleeding. Therefore, if you are taking aspirin or blood thinners such as warfarin, we advise you to let us know beforehand as we may suggest stopping treatment seven days before the procedure.
Now that we have covered what you can expect during your OB-GYN ultrasound in-office procedures, we can move on to the next section.
Mammary Duct Excision
During these medical office procedures, the doctors remove a mammary duct to check for malignancy or relieve symptoms when the patient has nipple discharge. In most cases, nipple discharge is not cancerous, but sometimes people may need further treatment if there is pre-invasive cancer in the ducts.
We recommend that you wear comfortable clothing on the day of your appointment and avoid eating or drinking for eight hours before the procedure.
It would also be helpful to wear a sports bra for two weeks after your surgery, and you may experience some bleeding and swelling, which is normal.
Book Your Appointment With Our Breast Surgeons Today
At Breast Care Center Miami we offer different procedures for cancer patients and those who have a high risk of developing cancerous tissue. In addition, we provide personalized care, as our treatment plans depend on the patient’s cancer stage.
If you want to learn more about our services and check which procedures may be best for you, book your appointment today.
