Lymph Node Dissection
At North Orlando Surgical Group, we are proud to have established a unique surgical practice characterized by superior skills and extraordinary services both to the patient we care for as well as their referring physicians. We are recognized in Central Florida for our ability to perform complex procedures in the least invasive way. Our attentive staff is focused on providing the highest level of personal services and are committed to making every patient’s surgical experience as comfortable and convenient as it can be.
The lymph system is a network of vessels that run throughout the body, and are responsible for helping to fight infection. When an infection occurs the lymph nodes in that area can become large and painful. You may notice a lump, often in the armpit, groin or neck area. Occasionally an enlarged lymph node is indicative of a cancer. Your doctor may recommend that you undergo a biopsy to determine the cause for the enlargement of the lymph node in question.
Often when a lump is suspected to be an enlarged lymph node an ultrasound will be ordered to evaluate it. Once it has been proven to be a lymph node your surgeon will recommend that you undergo a biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure to remove the node and send it to pathology for a diagnosis. This is usually done at an outpatient surgery center, which is more cost and time effective for the patient. You will be given sedation and local numbing medication to keep you comfortable, and an incision will be made over the node. It will then be removed and sent to pathology. Your incision will be closed with absorbable sutures and you will be sent home. You will be asked to follow up in the doctor’s office one week after surgery for results.
Most of the time pathology demonstrates this to be a benign reactive lymph node. This means that it is enlarged because of a previous infection, which is how the lymph system responds to infection in the body. Occasionally a lymph node may be found to be a cancer. Some cancers in the lymph nodes are cancers that started elsewhere and spread to the lymph nodes, others are cancers of the lymph nodes themselves. In either case you will be referred to see an oncologist to discuss what, if any, additional treatment is needed.
A sentinel node biopsy is done as part of surgery to treat cancer. If you are diagnosed with breast cancer or malignant melanoma you will most likely undergo a sentinel node biopsy as part of the surgery to remove the cancer. A radioactive tracer is injected into the area where the cancer is located and a special device is used to find the lymph node that first drains that area. This lymph node is then removed and sent to the pathologist to determine if there are any cancer cells in the node. Doing the biopsy in this way eliminates the needs to remove large numbers of lymph node and thereby reduces the risk that you may develop lymphadenitis, or swelling.
Anytime a biopsy is needed patients can feel anxious and afraid. Often you will have questions that you need answered. Here at North Orlando Surgical Group we provide you with expertise and caring to perform your procedure and make sure you are comfortable. We take the time you need to answer your questions and allay your fears. As our patient you are a part of the family! Call today to schedule your appointment