During a mastectomy, the surgeon removes all the breast tissue — the ducts, lobules, nipple and the overlying skin in a standard approach. In a skin- or nipple-sparing mastectomy, the skin envelope is kept to support reconstruction.
Why a mastectomy may be chosen
- A large tumour relative to the breast
- Cancer in several areas of the breast
- High familial or genetic risk
- A personal preference for peace of mind
Recovery takes a few weeks. Hospital stay is usually one to three days, with drains removed within one to two weeks. Reconstruction can happen during the same operation or months later.