Breast Cancer Surgery
An Introduction
After successfully performing more than 1000 breast reconstructions using the patients' own tissue, Mr Ramakrishnan continues to set a very high standard and success rate for breast reconstruction in the UK.
As the demand and options for reconstructive surgery grow, your decision of which surgeon or which procedure to choose should be an informed and considered one. It is very important to find out about your choices, and which option is best for you.
One of the primary aims of this website is to give you an insight into what you can expect at each step, from your first consultation to being discharged.
The prospect of reconstructive breast surgery can be an incredibly difficult time, not only physically, but also emotionally. This website will provide a comprehensive resource for the patients considering breast reconstruction, with advanced techniques in this field explained
The primary aim of surgery is to remove the cancer from the affected breast and treat any affected lymph glands.
The cancer can be removed as a lump (called a lumpectomy) with a margin of normal tissue around it (called wide local excision). This leaves the majority of the breast untouched (breast conserving surgery). The alternative to this is to remove the whole breast (mastectomy).
A mastectomy or a wide local excision is advised dependant upon the type of cancer, size and evidence of other cancer cells elsewhere in the breast. With both options about four lymph glands from the armpit (and sometimes from behind the ribs) are usually removed at the time of the cancer excision (axillary node sampling).The nodes are checked for any cancer spread. If there is known cancer in the lymph glands then all the lymph glands are removed (axillary node clearance).
If a mastectomy is performed the only reconstructive options are total breast reconstruction. Venkat Ramakrishnan is a leading surgeon in breast reconstruction techniques.