Many women are concerned about the question of when to remove fibroadenomas. Indications for surgical intervention are established by a specialist. The attending physician takes into account the results of the diagnostics passed by the patient. If there are discomfort in the mammary glands, it is important to immediately contact a gynecologist. If the doctor detects the presence of seals, sends him to a mammologist for examination, if malignant tumor processes are suspected, the patient should consult an oncologist. If necessary, the fibroadenoma is removed. Experts do not recommend self-medication, since the pathology is able to develop and move into more complex forms. In order not to harm the general state of he alth and not cause the development of complications, it is important not to delay going to the doctor.
Fibroadenoma - what is it?
Fibroadenoma is a neoplasm of the mammary glands. Glandular and connective tissue form a node or tumor, sizewhich varies from 0.7 to 4.9 cm in diameter. Most often appears in women aged 21-49 years (at the time of the greatest hormonal fluctuations). Tumors develop due to uncontrolled intake of a hormonal agent (including an oral contraceptive), improper termination of breastfeeding. Predisposing factors include:
- systematic abortions;
- extra pounds;
- thyroid disease;
- kidney disease.
The neoplasm does not appear due to a genetic predisposition.
Under what circumstances should the operation be performed?
Under what conditions should a fibroadenoma be removed? It is necessary to eliminate the tumor process with a large size of the seal and if the patient has severe pain and discomfort. In the process of planning pregnancy, it is necessary to remove fibroadenoma, since during the bearing of the baby, the growth of the neoplasm often accelerates. Even if there is a slight induration, it is important that treatment be carried out.
Main indications and contraindications for removal
It is necessary to remove breast fibroadenoma if:
- no positive effect after the use of medicines prescribed by the doctor;
- rapid tumor growth;
- the presence of a leaf-shaped form was detectedneoplasms;
- malignant fibroadenoma.
There are also contraindications to tumor removal, which can be both absolute and relative. In the first case, it is forbidden to carry out surgical intervention, in the second - the operation is possible, but only after the correction of the patient's clinical picture.
Main contraindications
It is forbidden to perform surgery to remove breast fibroadenoma:
- in violation of blood clotting;
- if diabetes is diagnosed;
- if heart, liver, kidney disease is present.
The operation is not carried out if the patient has a respiratory disease, or acute respiratory infections. First of all, it is important to improve the general he alth of the patient, after which surgical intervention can be performed. An elevated body temperature is a direct contraindication to such a manipulation.
How to prepare a patient for surgery?
A thorough medical examination of the patient before surgery to remove breast fibroadenoma is carried out first. A woman needs to pass a general clinical analysis of blood and urine, carry out an ECG and fluorography. With the help of ultrasound and mammography, the size of the neoplasm is determined.
During the biopsy, the specialist collects biological material and sends it for histological examination. This analysis will determine the natureneoplasms and exclude the presence of atypical cells. If a woman has a chronic pathology, then the specialist gives a referral for a consultation with a specialist of the appropriate profile. Thanks to the control examination, it is possible to exclude the risk of complications on the eve of the operation. If the patient is not mentally ready for surgery, you should contact a psychologist.
How will the neoplasm be removed?
There are cases when fibroadenoma is amenable to conservative treatment. If the disease is too advanced, then surgery should be performed. After a minimally invasive method of treatment, complications are the least likely to occur. In the course of a radical operation, in addition to the neoplasm, the mammary gland is also removed. Only the attending physician determines the specific type of surgical intervention, taking into account the size of the fibroadenoma and the general he alth of the patient.
What could be the consequences?
Despite a thorough examination of the patient before surgery, adverse events may occur, namely:
- Pain is a natural reaction of the body to the dissection of tissues. For four days after the operation, the woman is given an analgesic. In addition, the drug is used in the form of injections in order to eliminate severe pain. In the future, discomfort can be eliminated with the help of tablets that are allowed to be taken no more than three times a day.
- Scar formation. The severity of scars depends onindividual characteristics of the patient's body and the experience of the surgeon. The type of surgical approach is also important.
- Hematoma formation. Given the fact that blood vessels are damaged during surgery, subcutaneous hemorrhages may occur. If bruises on the mammary gland persist for more than a week, then the specialist injects ascorbic acid intravenously into the patient and applies a resolving ointment.
- Change in the shape of the mammary glands. Due to cicatricial tissue changes, the shape of the breast changes. Often the cause of this side effect is the incorrect use of the nozzle of the device.
- Loss of nipple sensation. Loss of sensation due to damage to nerve fibers.
- Blood loss occurs due to damage to large blood vessels. During surgery, the doctor must cauterize these structures to prevent bleeding.
- Infectious disease occurs if, after a surgical operation, the patient or the doctor did not follow the basic rules of hygiene. Under such conditions, the skin can become very inflamed, and the body temperature rises.
Pathogenic masses are important to eliminate if pus is formed. The woman should dress and wash the wound with an antiseptic solution. In some cases, after the operation, there is a severe headache due to anesthesia. In such conditions, it is important to take pain medication every seven hours.
Types of surgery
Surgery to remove fibroadenoma can be both planned and urgent (unscheduled). In the first case, the patient is carefully prepared for surgery, in the second, the examination is carried out in an emergency mode. Several factors influence the urgency of the operation:
- nature of neoplasm;
- tumor size;
- strength of symptoms.
In the presence of a large tumor of a malignant nature, it is important to immediately remove the tumor.
- During enucleation, the doctor excised fibroadenoma, while not affecting the structure of the mammary gland. To carry out this type of intervention, it is important to confirm the benign nature of the neoplasm. Before the procedure, the patient should be given local anesthesia. Under these conditions, there will be no discomfort during the operation.
- Dissection of breast tissue is carried out along the border of the halo. This will minimize the visibility of the scar and sutures after removal of breast fibroadenoma. This method of tumor removal is based on the use of a power tool or a scalpel, thanks to which the specialist separates the tumor from the surrounding tissue. The peeling time is 50 minutes. Stitches need to be removed eight days after surgery.
- During the sector resection, the surgeon removes the fibroadenoma. Before the operation, the patient is given general anesthesia, this will avoid discomfort during the surgical intervention. neoplasmit is necessary to excise with the surrounding tissues of the gland itself. The scar after such manipulation can be eliminated only by plastic surgery. The duration of the operation is 40-70 minutes. It all depends on the size of the tumor and the volume of the breast.
- With total resection, fibroadenoma and mammary gland are completely removed. This method of treatment is used only if the tumor is large and growing rapidly, while there is a risk of degeneration into a cancerous tumor. The duration of the operation is 60 minutes. A large scar may remain after the procedure.
- Fibroadenoma removal by laser. The use of a laser helps to get rid of fibroadenomas, while the surrounding tissues are not affected. To direct the laser, the surgeon uses a special nozzle and destroys the tumor cells. The procedure lasts 35 minutes. In most cases, there is no scar after the procedure.
The vacuum method of surgery to remove breast fibroadenoma allows you to get rid of a tumor even of a large size. During the operation, a long needle is used. In the process of carrying out such manipulation, discomfort does not occur, and there is no risk of complications.
Duration of postoperative recovery
The speed of recovery after surgery depends on many factors, namely:
- age of patient;
- general he alth;
- type of operation.
It is equally important that the patient properly care for the surgical wound. Afterthe woman will be transferred to the ward, the attending physician systematically monitors her general state of he alth (blood pressure, heart rate are measured, general well-being is analyzed). After surgery, the doctor applies ice to the affected area, this will reduce the risk of large bruises. It is important not to overdo it, as hypothermia of the skin may occur. A week later, the doctor removes the stitches or does not affect them at all. Much depends on the suture materials chosen by the surgeon. It is allowed to carry out a hygiene procedure 5 days after surgery. To prevent infection from entering the body, it is allowed to take only a shower. It is advisable not to use hot water, as this can provoke a strong inflammatory process.
What does the breast look like after surgery?
What does the breast look like after fibroadenoma removal? It is impossible to predict her condition after surgery. To reduce the risk of scarring to a minimum, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner when one of the symptoms of the disease appears. Under such conditions, the tumor will not have time to grow to a large size. Thanks to this, it will be possible to solve the problem with a more gentle type of operation for the woman's body. Using laser resurfacing, you can remove noticeable scars after breast fibroadenoma removal. Depending on the size of the scars, 3 to 8 treatments will be required. When the wound heals, it will be possible to restore the shape of the breast using surgical or alternative methods. These include:
- implantation of teardrop endoprosthesis;
- plastic surgery with a round implant;
- hyaluronic acid injection.
To maintain the result, it is important to inject hyaluronic acid regularly.
Pain after removal
Unpleasant sensation may be present for 3 days after the removal of the fibroadenoma, as the effect of anesthesia gradually weakens. Doctors do not recommend enduring unpleasant and painful sensations, as complications may occur. If the wound heals well, and there is no pus and hemorrhage, over time, the need for the introduction of painkillers after removal of the fibroadenoma decreases.
Reviews of medical workers confirm the fact that a timely visit to a doctor will help prevent the development of serious complications. When the neoplasm is small, the treatment is much more effective and faster. It is not recommended to use alternative methods of therapy, since time is too expensive for the patient's life. Some herbs can even provoke the active growth of neoplasms, so it's better not to risk it. Experts recommend regular medical examinations and tests.
