Mammotomy is a surgical procedure in which a sample of breast tissue is removed to diagnose or treat breast cancer.

Types of mammotomy:

  •  Stereotactic mammotomy: Used to remove tissue samples from tumors that are difficult to feel or see with mammography.
  •  Vacuum Mammotomy: Used to remove benign cysts or small tumors that are not cancerous.

Stereotactic mammotomy:

  •  The patient lies face down on a special table, and her chest is suspended.
  •  The doctor uses a mammography machine to accurately determine the location of the tumor.
  •  The surgeon makes a small incision in the skin and inserts a needle into the tumor.
  •  Tissue samples are taken through the needle.

Vacuum mammotomy:

  •  The patient is lying on a table, and her chest is fixed in a vacuum device.
  •  The surgeon makes a small incision in the skin and inserts an intravenous needle into the cyst or tumor.
  •  A vacuum device pumps out liquid or tissue from the affected area.

After the mammotomy, a bandage is applied to the incision site. Patients usually do not need to stay in the hospital for a long time.

As with any surgical procedure, there are some risks associated with mammotomy, such as:

  •  The bleeding
  •  Infection
  •  Bruising or swelling
  •  Scarring

Mammotomy is usually a successful procedure for the diagnosis or treatment of breast cancer and other breast diseases.

Alternative methods for the diagnosis or treatment of breast cancer include:

  •  Needle biopsy
  •  Mastectomy (removal of the breast)
  •  Radiation therapy
  •  Chemotherapy

The decision on which treatment option is most appropriate is made jointly by the doctor and the patient, based on the individual condition of the patient.