Mastectomy Cost in Saudi Arabia

A mastectomy is a surgical procedure designed to remove some or all of the breast tissue. It is used both to treat breast cancer and as a preventative treatment for high-risk patients. Surgery is an essential part of the treatment plan when breast cancer is diagnosed. For individuals with a significant risk of developing breast cancer, a preventative mastectomy might be recommended by a healthcare provider to prevent the onset of the disease.

Various types of mastectomies exist, ranging from partial to complete removal of breast tissue. Additionally, there are numerous options for breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. Discussing these options with your healthcare provider will be an important part of planning your breast cancer treatment. Together, you will navigate through a series of decisions to create the most effective treatment plan.

Who is advised to undergo breast cancer mastectomy?

A physician may recommend a partial or full mastectomy in the following situations:

• You have a large malignant tumor in the breast or invasive ductal carcinoma.
• You have experienced recurrent breast cancer after an initial lumpectomy.
• You are pregnant and have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and radiation therapy is not an option.
• You may have a medical history of scleroderma and have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
• You are diagnosed with breast cancer and a lump in the armpit.

Additionally, if you have a family history of breast cancer or a harmful mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, a preventive mastectomy may be advised.

Types

Total Mastectomy (Simple Mastectomy): A total or simple mastectomy involves removing all breast tissue while preserving the pectoral muscles underneath. This procedure can be unilateral (affecting one breast) or bilateral (affecting both breasts).

Double Mastectomy (Bilateral Mastectomy): A double mastectomy, also known as a bilateral mastectomy, entails a total mastectomy of both breasts. This may be recommended if you have cancer in both breasts or a high risk of cancer developing in both breasts.

Skin-Sparing or Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: In a skin-sparing or nipple-sparing mastectomy, breast tissue is removed while retaining the skin and nipple, which can be utilized in breast reconstruction.

Mastectomy with Breast Reconstruction: Regardless of whether a skin-sparing or nipple-sparing mastectomy is performed, breast reconstruction surgery can often be done simultaneously. This decision depends on your specific condition and treatment plan. Alternatively, reconstruction can be scheduled later as a separate procedure.

Modified Radical Mastectomy: This type of mastectomy involves the removal of all breast tissue along with the underarm lymph nodes on the same side, as these are often the first locations to which breast cancer spreads.

Radical Mastectomy: Radical Mastectomy: A radical mastectomy removes all breast tissue, underarm lymph nodes, and the pectoral muscles beneath. Although very rare today, this operation may be required if the cancer has spread to the muscles.

First of all, your healthcare provider will administer general anesthesia, ensuring you are asleep throughout the procedure. You will have a tube to assist with breathing and a catheter in your vein for IV fluids. If the procedure is lengthy, you may also have a catheter to drain your urine.

Your surgeon will clean and sterilize the surgical site and administer antibiotics through your IV to prevent infections. To help highlight nearby lymph nodes, your surgeon may inject a mild radioactive substance called a tracer into your breast and use a handheld scanner to locate the nodes. Alternatively, a blue dye may be injected into your breast tissue to highlight the lymph nodes, which will stay in your tissues for a few weeks.

During the surgery, your surgeon will remove your breast tissue, either sparing or including the skin and nipple based on your specific case. Additional tissue may be removed if the cancer has spread. Depending on the stage of your cancer, one or several lymph nodes will be removed and sent to the lab for analysis.

If breast reconstruction is part of your goal, your surgeon may start and finish the procedure during the same procedure, using an artificial implant and/or tissue from another region of your body. If you are not currently undergoing reconstruction at this time, the surgical site will be closed. Reconstruction can be done later, or you may decide not to have it.

Your surgeon may place a temporary drain inside the surgical site to draw excess fluids from the wound into a collection bulb outside your body. This drain generally remains for a week or two following the surgery.

Full recovery may take four to six weeks, with wound healing occurring in approximately three weeks. Initially, the Patient might experience fatigue, soreness, and stiffness in the chest, arms, and shoulders. Most individuals manage these symptoms with mild pain relievers, and exercise generally improves stiffness. healthcare provider will provide specific exercises to aid in your recovery and will advise on when it is safe to resume more strenuous activities.