Question

A pt is admitted to hospital and is scheduled to have a modified radical mastectomy. Pt asks nurse about surgical procedure. Which of following explanations should nurse give?

A. only tissue is removed, leaving all muscles and lymph nodes
B. breast, axillary nodes, and superior apical nodes are removed, but muscles are preserved
C. breast, axillary nodes, and major and minor pectoral muscles are preserved
D. sternum will be split and lymph nodes will be dissected from mediastinum

Answer 1

A modified radical mastectomy involves the removal of the breast tissue and axillary lymph nodes, but the pectoral muscles are preserved.

Step-by-step explanation:

A patient who is scheduled to have a modified radical mastectomy should be informed that the procedure typically involves the removal of the breast tissue along with axillary lymph nodes and sometimes the internal mammary lymph nodes, depending on the extent of the cancer spread. However, the major and minor pectoral muscles are usually preserved. This is distinguished from a total mastectomy, which removes all breast tissue without lymph node removal, and a radical mastectomy, which removes the entire breast but also includes the pectoral muscles and more extensive lymph node dissection.