A rapid, inexpensive, and simple bi...

A rapid, inexpensive, and simple biopsy arrangement could take the surgical treatment of breast lesions and related lymph nodes almost completely without of the OR, according to an Oct 29 1998 pres release from the American guild of Surgeons. The technique, which requires no special equipment or personnel allows surgeon to use an office-based manner of proceeding to treat women who have suspicious breast masses, thereby dramatically cutting medical costs

The rule developed by physicians at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) Portland, allows surgeon to find breast lesions using local anesthesia and minimal surgical exploration. According to the release, the conduct begins with a standard wire localization of the mammographic abnormality. nearest markers are placed on the nipple and the wire insertion site, and a single x-ray of the breast is taken. by way of holding the x-ray film up to the patient's skin and lining up the markers forward the nipple and wire insertion site, surgeon can determine exactly where to place the incision.

According to the comes of a study conducted between 1994 and 1997 and reported in the release, OHSU physicians establish that this technique allowed them to use local anesthesia in 72% of 116 women who received biopsies for abnormalities lay opened through routine mammographic screening. The remaining 28% of the women either preferr to have their biopsy steps performed in the OR, had an especially discerning breast lesion or concomitant surgical manner of proceeding that required general anesthesia, or would not be able to cooperate with the surgeon subject to local anesthesia. The OHSU physicians calculated that a biopsy performed in a surgeon's office incurred $4631 les in charges than common performed in a hospital OR.

This technique also could allow women whose biopsies touchstone positive for cancer to circumvent mastectomies in the hospital. The release states that a considerable amount of clinical evidence glance ats that if the sentinel lymph node--the first in the series of lymph nodes that drain the involved breast area--is pathologically negative for malignancy, cancer has not advancemented locally and the majority of the lymph nodes do not have to be remov from using a radioactive dye during the operation to identify the sentinel lymph node, surgeon can isolate the "hot spot" signifying the sentinel node and, if necessary, dislodge it. For most women, surgery for breast cancer would stop there, according to the release.

Biopsy Technique May Take Breast Cancer Diagnosis abroad of the Operating Room (pres release, Orlando, Fla: American body of Surgeons, Oct 25-30, 1998) 1-4

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