Has anyone else discovered that they have staples left in after surgery? I only discovered this because i needed a core biopsy to investigate a new lump at the site of my lumpectomy and this removed a staple along with the tissue sample. It makes it seem more likely that the lump is fat necrosis as has been suggested but it was pretty weird.
I was told they’d left metal markers (small ones! - titanium, I think)in place to mark where the cancer had been. Maybe that’s what yours were?
Julie x
Could be Julie. The ultrasound person looked pretty surprised at pulling it out and called it a staple i think.
As said above they leave a marker in so the radiotherapy booster dose gets to the tumour bed… Perhaps your radiologist had not seen one before.
Yes I was old that I have a couple of titanium staples in, but got the impression that they were used to hold the breast tissue in place when they remodelled the tissue during the lumpectomy. Apparently they don’t cause problems with airport security scans!!
thanks all. I don’t think it was a marker as that wasn’t mentioned and i didn’t have any booster radiotherapy just straightforward whole breast 25 sessions. I think it/they must be titanium as they dont show on US (?).
The ultrasound/biopsy person is a consultant in the breast care centre so i would have thought she’s seen everything thats standard in this field.
Maybe we are all bionic women but we just aren’t aware of it in the main.
I had a marker inserted (to aid pathology after my op) as the tumours were so tiny (1 mm and 4 mm).
I definitely didn’t have anything left in to aid rads as all I have now is a ribcage and a bit of residual seroma.
I think the markers are used in all or a high percentage of WLEs. One of the criteria for the IMPORT high trial was that the markers had to be there. This is regardless of wether boosts would be needed as we know that my treatment would either have been 15 high, 15 low or 15 standard + 8 boosts. It was a lucky dip.
Surgery I had years ago needed staples, but they were big, over 1cm, but that may have been because they closed the wound.
Has anyone dared to Google these titanium clips?
I’ve used a wound-closing staple gun at work. On fake flesh, not on a human. They are really good!
I’ve also had a good prod round looking at some of the (kept sterile) plates and screws that they use, and I’m very familiar with the ‘handpieces’ (drills etc) that are used in surgery.
Doesn’t bother me to see them, but it could bother some!
Got the result from my core biopsy today and it was clear which is great. I also found out that it was a titanium marker from my original tumour so maybe we have all got one (altho’ clearly i no longer do).
Yes I did after an asthma attack and had a chest X-ray at a different hospital. The radiologist asked me if I had just had surgery. I said NO. It’s been over 4 years since my mastectomy. She showed me the X-ray and all the staples left in. Probably 5 in each side of the breast. I had been into my surgeons office at least 4 times saying how badly my breasts hurt. Asking if they deflated or turned around. I went to physical therapy after surgery because I could not get my range of motion back. They kept saying it was probably scar tissue. I cannot even open a jar, do my hair properly, exercise properly, and not once did my world rekwowned surgeon ever tell me this or do anything to remedy this situation.
I think they should have asked us. I would have probably said yes, but it just feels wrong to leave something in my body without even mentioning it. I saw it when I had my first mammo. They don’t set off airport thingys I can confirm. xx