Patient education: Breast-conserving surgery – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is breast-conserving surgery? — This is a way to treat breast cancer. It removes the cancer and a section of healthy tissue around it (called a "margin") from the breast. It is sometimes called "lumpectomy" or a "partial mastectomy" (figure 1). Also, doctors often remove 1 or more lymph nodes under the arm.

If you choose this option, you will keep your breast. But you will probably need to have radiation therapy after surgery. The goal of radiation is to kill any cancer cells that might still be in your breast area.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

For the first 24 hours after surgery:

●Do not drive or operate heavy or dangerous machinery.

●Do not make any important decisions or sign any important papers.

●Do not drink alcohol of any kind.

You should also do the following:

●Take care of your incision – You might have stitches, surgical glue, or adhesive strips on your incision. You might have more than 1 incision.

•Ice the wound and keep your incision dry and covered with a bandage for the first 1 to 2 days after surgery. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep your incision dry.

•Once you no longer need to keep your incision dry, gently wash it with soap and water whenever you take a shower. Do not put your incision underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake. This can slow healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.

•After you wash your incision, pat it dry. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to put an antibiotic ointment on the incision. They will also tell you if you need to cover your incision with a bandage or gauze.

•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your incision or bandage.

●After your bandages are removed, ask your doctor if you can wear a bra.

●Increase your activity slowly – Start with short walks around your home, and walk a little more each day.

•Keep coughing and doing deep breathing exercises for 7 to 10 days after you go home. This helps prevent lung infections. When you cough, sneeze, or do deep breathing exercises, press a pillow across your incision to support the wound and ease pain.

•It is OK to use your arm and hand after surgery. Avoid heavy lifting, sports, swimming, and other intense exercise for at least a week or 2. (Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to avoid these or other activities.)

●If your doctor prescribed opioid pain medicine, you might get constipated. You can take a stool softener to prevent this problem.

●Instead of opioids, you can also take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain. These include acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).

What follow-up care do I need? — The doctor will want to see you again after surgery to check on your progress. Go to these appointments.

Your doctor might want you to have other treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. You might also need to see other experts like a radiation or medical oncologist, or physical therapist. Some people need extra care to help reduce or prevent swelling in their arm.

Some stitches will need to be taken out. Your doctor will usually want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks. Some stitches absorb on their own and do not need to be removed. If the doctor used skin glue or adhesive strips, these will fall off on their own. Do not pick at them or try to remove them yourself.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●You have redness, bleeding, drainage, severe pain, or swelling around your incisions.

●You have nausea or vomiting for more than 2 days after going home.

●You have redness, warmth, swelling, or hardness in your arm or hand on the side where your breast was removed.

More on this topic

Patient education: Breast-conserving surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: Choosing surgical treatment for early-stage breast cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Mastectomy (The Basics)
Patient education: Breast reconstruction after mastectomy for cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Breast cancer (The Basics)

Patient education: Surgical procedures for breast cancer — Mastectomy and breast-conserving therapy (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Breast cancer guide to diagnosis and treatment (Beyond the Basics)