Axillary dissection
The axillary dissection (also axillary dissection) is called the removal of lymph nodes as a surgical procedure in the treatment of breast cancer in which the entire lymph and fat tissue is removed while protecting the vascular nerve bundle of the armpit and the thoracodorsal and long thoracic nerves . This can be done with mastectomy as well as with oncoplastic (breast-conserving) interventions such as lumpectomy and quadrantectomy , as well as in connection with simultaneous breast reconstruction .
Access to the armpit can be made using the same incision when removing the breast and often with external tumors. In the case of internal tumors, however, an additional incision is always required. During the procedure, at least ten lymph nodes are removed from level I and II in order to obtain a reliable conclusion about a possible tumor involvement.
Since complications such as seromas , pain, edema and limited arm mobility occur in 80% of the patients , it is examined whether the sentinel lymph node removal is a possible alternative.
literature
- T. Kühn: Conventional axillary dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy. In: Rolf Kreienberg : Management of Breast Cancer. Springer, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3540317473 , pp. 237-8 in the Google book search
- D. Oertli: Lymphadenectomy of the axilla. The surgeon 78 (2007), 194-202, doi : 10.1007 / s00104-006-1297-x
