excision biopsy
excision biopsy Help!!!
After 2 failed core biopsies…The lump in my breast is too hard to pierce…I am booked to have an excision biopsy…I have asked to have it removed under Local anaesthetic…which my consultant has said I am mad to do…but I am not keen to have a general anaesthetic…I am now worried in case it is as bad as the impression he gave.
Has anyone any reassurance that it isn’t too bad to have done awake…with local…It cant be more uncomfortable than the struggle the radiographer had trying to pierce my lump…
Any advice would be appreceated as my mind which was firmly made up is now going into panic made as the operation date approaches…
thanks for listening ,
Nick
local anaesthetic In the US this is normal practice. I wanted mine done under local as well as the complication rates are lower and it is actually less likely you will get an infection according to US data.
In the end I had a general. I really was glad to have had local anaesthetic, my surgeon told me that they’d had problems waking me up after the general anaesthetic so as far as I was concerned not having it again was a plus.
A week or so later I developed an infection and had surgery on it under local anaesthetic when antibiotics didn’t fix it. The surgeon was amazed at how calm I was. Basically the local anaesthetic worked, I wasn’t in pain and I could see what they were doing. Which as far as I was concerned was great. I prefer to know what is going on.
Another friend of mine also had local anaesthetic but said they put some sort of collar on her to stop her being able to look which she found embarrassing. I didn’t have to submit to this indignity, just looked at what was going on from a strange angle. Actually I couldn’t see much because of this.
Hi Nick
I can’t understand why they say you are mad! Surely it should be almost painless except for a little pulling and twiddling - surgeons are so funny 
I was a surgical nurse for many years and quite often this came up, yet uinless there was a medical reason for someone not having a GA the surgeons would not do the ops under local. When I had my Mastectomy 8 weeks ago, they wouldn’t even entertain a local (not that I would have chosen to have it that time). I think general surgeons are slightly less happy to do ops under local, not sure what they are so worried about???
I had a knee replacement operation just over a year ago, and that’s a fairly big op yet my anaesthetist even suggested having a local rather than GA.
Good luck with whatever route you take and good luck with your results.
Lynn
Local or General I had an excisional biopsy under general on 26th feb and no way would I have liked to have it under a local!! Call me a coward or whatever you like, even the thought of it makes my boobs cringe. Joking aside though I was fine after the op and I had trouble under general before, I just let them know so they knew the score. Good luck with it Im sure you will be fine.
Yvonne x
I have not had an excision biopsy but agree the ordinary biopsy was bloody painful so imagine it wouldnt be worse under local-probably the injection to numb would be initially sore but then should quickly go numb!! Just remember-whilst he was saying he thought you mad he could be a stereotypical man who cant take pain-thats why we have the kids!!!
joking aside choose what you are comfortable with.good luck with results
sharonx
excision biopsy Hi Nick
I had excision biopsy done yesterday (15th) under general. During my consultation with doc and bc team I asked for this to be done with a local but was advised that I would have the wire guide inserted with local and the lump removed under general.
I can only say that I felt absolutely fine after the general and within an hour was sitting up drinking tea and eating some biscuits so no ill effects whatsoever. I slept well last night and although my right breast is a bit sore and swollen, I have no long lasting effects from the general.
I now have to wait 2 weeks for the results!!
Hope it all works out well for you.
Lorraine
excision biopsy Thanks all for advice.I had my pre-op medical today and my biopsy is booked for the 26th. I am still going ahead with the local anaesthetic. The only reason for doing so is I’m Asthmatic and had just recovered from Pluerisy when I found my lump…so all in all not a very good start to the year.
However trying to remain positive…found reading the pages from everyone really helpful.Its so much easier to read peoples experiences as I tend to have brain block and can’t think of questions whilst at the hospital.
I feel much more at ease (till next sunday !!!) knowing it won’t be too bad and that others have had this done
thanks again Nick