Surgery of the Breast

There are many new advances in the management of breast disease, but beyond all of the publicity, all of the hype, the key to any successful treatment plan is an experienced, competent, Board certified surgeon. The highly-skilled team at Winter Park Surgical Associates has performed hundreds of successful breast operations. Stereotactic breast biopsy, is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed by using a small needle placed under computer aided guidance to obtain tissue for the diagnosis of breast cancer. This procedure is performed as an outpatient and is well tolerated by most women. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Breast MRI) has recently found its place in the diagnosis and treatment of breast abnormalities. There are specific indications for the use of Breast MRI; not all situations require this type of test. It is important to understand that Breast MRI does not replace the need for annual breast mammography or breast self examination. Mammography performed on an annual basis is the mainstay of breast cancer early detection. In women over the age of forty, annual mammography has been shown to be the single most important modality in reducing the risk of dying from breast cancer. Early detection usually means being able to have less radical surgery which usually translates to a more favorable cosmetic outcome. However, mammography is not the end all to early breast cancer detection.

The biggest misconception about mammography is that it picks up every breast cancer. In fact, mammography misses at least 10 percent of breast cancer. So if you feel a lump that doesn’t show up on a mammogram, bring it to your doctor’s attention. Get it evaluated.