Complications are not common to any types of surgical procedures done to the patient. People who are diagnosed to have cancer are suggested to undergo various types of treatment. These options are the treatment which used strong medications, the treatment that uses ultraviolet radiations and treatment that uses a knife. Knife or surgically termed as the scalpel is used by the surgeon to make an incision from the skin going to other layers. Breast Cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting women who age 35 and above. Most of these cases are suggested to undergo Breast Cancer Surgery. There are some few conditions wherein women don’t want to undergo other types of treatment and decide for surgical intervention. Probably, the reason for this is they are afraid of the long term effect of other treatments and the prognosis is not good.
Mastectomy and Lumpectomy are Breast Cancer Surgery that is performed by the surgeon to remove the breast tissue, breast skin, lymph nodes in the axilla and sometimes the breast muscle is also removed. The extent of the surgery will depend on the size of the tumor or the affected area. This is usually performed by the surgeon to treat or avoid breast cancer. Same with other types of surgery, this surgery has underlying complications with very unusual and sometimes serious symptoms that must be observed and reported to the surgeon as early as possible.
Breast Cancer Surgery can lead to serious complications right after the surgery. A well-known institution for health has reported that the wound made from the incision of the chest wall may preserve long-term which may lead to loss of skin or infection. Hematoma (accumulation of the blood) can possibly occur at the operative site, production of hard scar tissues will develop at the incision site, and most of all, bleeding at the operative site can possibly occur. Reoperation or reparative surgery is performed in order to prevent further bleeding.
Pain after the Breast Cancer Surgery can be felt by the patient. The condition referred as Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome or PMPS is often manifested by the patient who undergone this procedure. The manifestations include pain at the chest wall, itchiness at the shoulder or armpit area, pain that occurs at the surgical site and a tingling sensation felt the arm. There is no actual explanation for this syndrome but the most scientific reason which is connected to this situation is probably the nerves at the chest wall are affected during the operation.
Complications pertaining to the removal of the lymph nodes found at the axillary part can cause mild to severe pain in the shoulder; sometimes stiffness can be felt, feeling of stabbed or burnt sensation. Swelling of the arm or the breast due to a condition which is known as lymphedema can also occur. The damaged nerve in that area can also cause pain to the shoulder and upper arm.
Respiratory failure is considered as one of the serious complications that can occur after Breast Cancer Surgery. Based on the reported cases of NIH, nerve damage can influence the neurotransmitters that usually transmit impulses to and from the brain. The brain which encases the respiratory center in the presentation of pons and medulla oblongata will be affected. In addition to this, lungs can be affected if the blood that accumulated at the operative site can build up and chances that this blood clot will dislodge in the site and will circulate to the blood stream. Once the blood clot reaches the microvessels that supply blood to the lungs, a compensatory mechanism of the heart will be activated. Increase cardiac rate will result in increase blood flow; high level of blood flow passing the lungs can also result into increase respiratory rate. Plus the fact that the lungs have been compromised with blood supply, a serious complication which is respiratory failure can occur.
If this is not intervened immediately, death can occur due to the inability of the lungs to transport oxygen which is transmitted in the bloodstream to the process of circulation that supplies oxygen and blood to other vital organs. If rapid respiration is observed to the patient who undergone Breast Cancer Surgery, it is suggested that this must be reported to the surgeon as early as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment