I am new on this forum. I have got invasive ductal carcinoma and my treatment starts tomorrow at Royal Marsden Hospital.
As it is 10mm only I have been offered participation in SMALL clinical trial and randomised to the vacuum excision under local anesthetic instead of the standard protocol lumpectomy and lymph nodes removal.
Anyone has experience of this new procedure? If yes, could you share it perhaps? What happened afterwards?
Thank you.
Only seen it on YouTube. Sounds interesting. Would need to research it.
Barbara
I have had this procedure at London Bridge hospital . Ummm , brace yourself it’s not pleasant however, recovery is quick and my bruising was absolutely minimal .
If I knew what I know now I would have asked for a sedative before . Something like diazepam or a Valium . I know there is a lot of negativity toward these drugs but still , I do believer there is a place for them and I would have preferred to of had the option .
Penelope
So I had it. Started developing a bruise during the procedure so quickly that the specialist wanted to stop half way. She has not; however the result is undetermined as it is not possible to see anything on a mammogram due to the huge hematoma.
One thing I do not understand is why I has asked repeatedly whether I take aspirin or blood thinning medicines and nobody asked me beforehand whether I bruise easily. The specialist performing VAE asked just before doing the excision. By which time it was late to refuse.
I might end up having the operation after all.
Snap! I’m having a deeper removal under general on the 3rd January . So that horrible procedure was all for nothing .
Penelope x
Hi, as the last post was a year ago I just wanted to share my experience, as i couldn’t get much information on this topic. My account is no way the norm!
I had a left lumpectomy 2 years ago but they found suspicious calcifications on the right breast. I first had a vacuum assisted biopsy. It was performed lying down on my side with the boob squashed on a ‘plate’ for what seemed like hours (it wasn’t) Not a pleasant experience but not painful but I left looking like a one sided Katy Price with severe bruising/haematomas which took 3 months to subside!
As the results were inconclusive I went on to have a vacuum assisted excision. What a different experience! I was sitting up, squashed boob again but so quick! Tiny bit of bruising, no after effects. I did get a cup of tea afterwards and a chat with a nurse, which I didn’t get the first time but think is necessary.
Everyone is different and will experience things in different ways, good and bad. I just wish there was more realistic information on VAB and VAE for anyone about to under go it.
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