| Now it's time to talk about the actual procedure your doctor has recommended for you.
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On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical gown. |
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You may receive a sedative by mouth and |
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an intravenous line may be put in. |
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You will then be transferred to the operating table. |
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Your doctor will scrub thoroughly and will apply an antiseptic solution to the skin around the area where the needle will be inserted. |
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Then, the doctor will place a sterile drape or towels around the operative site... |
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and will inject a local anesthetic. This will 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 |
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After allowing a few minutes for the anesthetic to take effect, the surgeon will insert the biopsy needle and guide it toward the lump. |
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You will feel some pressure or even slight tugging or pulling - but you should not feel any sharp pain. If you do begin to feel pain, you should tell the doctor. |
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Once the tip of the needle has penetrated the lump, the doctor will draw material from the lump up into the collection chamber. |
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Depending on the size and location of the lump your doctor may choose to reposition the needle and draw additional tissue for analysis. |
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Finally, a sterile dressing is applied. |
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Your specimen will be sent immediately to a lab for microscopic analysis. Your doctor will tell you when to expect result from those tests. |
