" clip " left behind after surgery

GayleMc

Hi. I had my first mammo after diagnoses recently. The mammo came back ok, but was told there was a clip left in that should have been removed at the time of my lumpectomy a year before. Surgeon, of course, wanted to get it out so I had to have another core biopsy last week to remove clip and make sure that tissue around it was cancer free. I had had some redness on the breast for some time and was told it was from rads. Gynecologist didn't like it and treated me with two rounds of antibiotics as she thought it was cellulitis. Anyway the results came back, all clear, and the clip is out but they put another type in. Has any one had this issue ? When I asked surgeon why he put another clip in when the other one had to come out, he said it was complicated. I didn't like his condescending attitude and will be looking for a new surgeon or am I making too much of this? I am grateful that all is clear and I seem to be dancing with NED but, I'm confused.

CR1954

You deserve...
You deserve an explanation. If your surgeon won't talk to you about it, then perhaps it is time to find another. If you don't want to do that, then I htink you should push for an answer.

Hugs,
CR

New Flower

CR1954 said:

You deserve...
You deserve an explanation. If your surgeon won't talk to you about it, then perhaps it is time to find another. If you don't want to do that, then I htink you should push for an answer.

Hugs,
CR

I would look for another one
Or seek a second opinion. You need an explanation. Plus you need to have a good doctor for regular check ups.
Sorry, that you have been going throughout medical error.
Hugs

GayleMc

New Flower said:

I would look for another one
Or seek a second opinion. You need an explanation. Plus you need to have a good doctor for regular check ups.
Sorry, that you have been going throughout medical error.
Hugs

Thanks ladies. I will ask
Thanks ladies. I will ask him on Wed. when I go for checkup. If I don't get what I want I will be severing with him. I wasn't sure if my reaction was warranted or not. I do feel it was a medical mistake and he used the biopsy to get my insurance to pay. This biopsy was much more painful than my original, plus the anxiety of waiting for results when I had a good mammo report in my hand.

mgm42

I have clips...
I, too, have clips (I think there are 2 or 3). My surgeon left them in purposely as a marker for the sentinal node/s. When I have my mammogram, they have to make sure to include the "clip area" in the picture for the pathologist to exam. I have no problems with them. I have redness on my lumpectomy breast from the burns which resulted from my rads. Dont' know if this helps. Marilynn

jessiesmom1

Surgical clamps/clips
I recently had an MRI and an x-ray of my right shoulder prior to having shoulder surgery. I had a mastectomy on that side almost exactly 1 year ago. Even I could see a line of what looked to me like staples on the films. I asked the orthopedist what they were. He said that they were vascular clamps left in at the time of the mastectomy and that it was completely normal. Could this be what you had? Hope this is of some help.

sal314

I Believe it's Very Common
to leave them in. I have one and had my back in 2001. I didn't ask for an explaination as my surgeon is one of the best breast surgeons in the country and I trust him. I'm sure he'd try to explain it, but I don't really need an explaination if it's standard procedure.

Blessings,
Sally

CR1954

I responded...
I have already responded earlier, and as others have said, clips are not uncommon. I have one left in after an MRI guided biopsy. It isn't a problem.

However, the fact that you can't get an honest answer from your surgeon is a problem, at least in my opinion. He/she should answer your questions, and if it is "compliucated", then he/she should take the time to explain, until you understand it.


Best of luck to you,
CR

dyaneb123

CR1954 said:

I responded...
I have already responded earlier, and as others have said, clips are not uncommon. I have one left in after an MRI guided biopsy. It isn't a problem.

However, the fact that you can't get an honest answer from your surgeon is a problem, at least in my opinion. He/she should answer your questions, and if it is "compliucated", then he/she should take the time to explain, until you understand it.


Best of luck to you,
CR

Gosh. I learn something new
Gosh. I learn something new every day here!
Dee

EllenaMaria

dyaneb123 said:

Gosh. I learn something new
Gosh. I learn something new every day here!
Dee

Good to think about.
I am guessing it is common. Makes sense for future referencing. I thought mine were taken out after my lumpectomy but I will double check when I have my mammo checkup next month.

CypressCynthia

Hope this helps
I have clips too--they have been there since 1987 and, so far, so good. Perhaps you had a reaction to a clip usually left in? For sure you need better answers.

Sometimes the body does react to objects meant to be left in--like absorbable sutures. Years ago my brother had surgery for thyroid cancer. When a bunch of small lumps turned up in his neck, the surgeons thought that it was a cancer recurrence and a bad sign. Turns out, his body had encapsulated (sort of walled off) the absorbable sutures (which should have just dissolved). He is fine.

Noel

New Flower said:

I would look for another one
Or seek a second opinion. You need an explanation. Plus you need to have a good doctor for regular check ups.
Sorry, that you have been going throughout medical error.
Hugs

You need to get an
You need to get an explanation from your doctor. I had a titanium chip placed at the tumor site, but, it was removed with my lumpectomy.

DebbyM

CR1954 said:

I responded...
I have already responded earlier, and as others have said, clips are not uncommon. I have one left in after an MRI guided biopsy. It isn't a problem.

However, the fact that you can't get an honest answer from your surgeon is a problem, at least in my opinion. He/she should answer your questions, and if it is "compliucated", then he/she should take the time to explain, until you understand it.


Best of luck to you,
CR

You do deserve some answers
You do deserve some answers and an explanation from your doctor. You need to understand and if he won't explain it, you might seek a second opinion.


Good luck to you,

Debby

Lighthouse_7

CypressCynthia said:

Hope this helps
I have clips too--they have been there since 1987 and, so far, so good. Perhaps you had a reaction to a clip usually left in? For sure you need better answers.

Sometimes the body does react to objects meant to be left in--like absorbable sutures. Years ago my brother had surgery for thyroid cancer. When a bunch of small lumps turned up in his neck, the surgeons thought that it was a cancer recurrence and a bad sign. Turns out, his body had encapsulated (sort of walled off) the absorbable sutures (which should have just dissolved). He is fine.

I too have clips. Saw them
I too have clips. Saw them in my mammo after surgery. Never thought to ask, because I assumed they were markers.
I have a lot of trust in my surgeon I guess.
I have had no trouble with them.

GayleMc

Lighthouse_7 said:

I too have clips. Saw them
I too have clips. Saw them in my mammo after surgery. Never thought to ask, because I assumed they were markers.
I have a lot of trust in my surgeon I guess.
I have had no trouble with them.

I thank everyone who has
I thank everyone who has been so reassuring and informative. Saw my rads oncologist today and he took the time to talk to me as he had a copy of the pathology from last week's biopsy. As best I understand it, the surgeon was concerned because that clip should have come out during the lumpectomy and then replaced with a different one to serve as a marker which everyone should have. Therefore, he was concerned that if he didn't switch the clips then he may not have biopsied the right tissue. Fortunately, the second biopsy was all clear and I'm extremely happy about that. I cannot understand why the surgeon didn't tell me that but I can't help thinking about what if he did miss cancerous tissue? So I will be seeking a new surgeon as I would probably always wonder about this. But you are all correct, clips are normal. I'm very sad to say that I no longer trust my surgeon as he wsn't honest with me. Thank goodness this young rads onc is a good doctor. Thanks again for your help. Best wishes to all.

Noel

GayleMc said:

I thank everyone who has
I thank everyone who has been so reassuring and informative. Saw my rads oncologist today and he took the time to talk to me as he had a copy of the pathology from last week's biopsy. As best I understand it, the surgeon was concerned because that clip should have come out during the lumpectomy and then replaced with a different one to serve as a marker which everyone should have. Therefore, he was concerned that if he didn't switch the clips then he may not have biopsied the right tissue. Fortunately, the second biopsy was all clear and I'm extremely happy about that. I cannot understand why the surgeon didn't tell me that but I can't help thinking about what if he did miss cancerous tissue? So I will be seeking a new surgeon as I would probably always wonder about this. But you are all correct, clips are normal. I'm very sad to say that I no longer trust my surgeon as he wsn't honest with me. Thank goodness this young rads onc is a good doctor. Thanks again for your help. Best wishes to all.

Glad your rads oncologist
Glad your rads oncologist explained everything to you. I am a bit confused between chips and clips. As I wrote above, I had a titanium chip placed in me at the time of the needle core biopsy to mark the suspicious spot, cancer. But, it was removed at the time of my lumpectomy as it was marking where the cancer was. So, no way would it have been left in me. It was removed with the tumor and surrounding tissue to get clean margins.

Is everyone talking about the same thing, or, are clips different?


Good luck with your new surgeon.


♥ Noel

CypressCynthia

GayleMc said:

I thank everyone who has
I thank everyone who has been so reassuring and informative. Saw my rads oncologist today and he took the time to talk to me as he had a copy of the pathology from last week's biopsy. As best I understand it, the surgeon was concerned because that clip should have come out during the lumpectomy and then replaced with a different one to serve as a marker which everyone should have. Therefore, he was concerned that if he didn't switch the clips then he may not have biopsied the right tissue. Fortunately, the second biopsy was all clear and I'm extremely happy about that. I cannot understand why the surgeon didn't tell me that but I can't help thinking about what if he did miss cancerous tissue? So I will be seeking a new surgeon as I would probably always wonder about this. But you are all correct, clips are normal. I'm very sad to say that I no longer trust my surgeon as he wsn't honest with me. Thank goodness this young rads onc is a good doctor. Thanks again for your help. Best wishes to all.

It has been my experience
It has been my experience that, if my doctor makes a mistake, it is usually time to move on to a new doctor. Physicians are human and they do makes mistakes. But once they have made one, I usually find that trust is shattered and they are so busy being defensive that they can't focus on what's important. Trust is everything and, if you don't trust this physician, move on!

CR1954

CypressCynthia said:

It has been my experience
It has been my experience that, if my doctor makes a mistake, it is usually time to move on to a new doctor. Physicians are human and they do makes mistakes. But once they have made one, I usually find that trust is shattered and they are so busy being defensive that they can't focus on what's important. Trust is everything and, if you don't trust this physician, move on!

I agree...
I agree with Cynthia on this one. Once that trust is broken, it's time to find a different doctor. It's not like we are talking about setting a fracture wrong or making an error & then 'fessing up to it.
A mistake, a serious mistake by your surgeon, could risk your life. And the fact that he would not talk to you about it, just compounds the whole distrust thing for me.

My med. team all have such different personalities...my surgeon is cool and "just the facts, ma'am". And that's fine because I trust her implicitly to know what she is doing and to be honest with me.

My medical onc has such a sense of humor! And a big bear laugh! But he is also very serious about what he does. And always completely honest, yet reassuring.

My rads onc, well, he is the warm, kind, hold your hand-type-doctor. And that is also great. He is so kind-hearted, but has been doing his job for a long time and has an excellent track record.

So, while they are all different, they all have my trust and faith that they will do what is best for me. And I think that every one of us deserves trustworthy doctors!

Hugs,
CR

GayleMc

CR1954 said:

I agree...
I agree with Cynthia on this one. Once that trust is broken, it's time to find a different doctor. It's not like we are talking about setting a fracture wrong or making an error & then 'fessing up to it.
A mistake, a serious mistake by your surgeon, could risk your life. And the fact that he would not talk to you about it, just compounds the whole distrust thing for me.

My med. team all have such different personalities...my surgeon is cool and "just the facts, ma'am". And that's fine because I trust her implicitly to know what she is doing and to be honest with me.

My medical onc has such a sense of humor! And a big bear laugh! But he is also very serious about what he does. And always completely honest, yet reassuring.

My rads onc, well, he is the warm, kind, hold your hand-type-doctor. And that is also great. He is so kind-hearted, but has been doing his job for a long time and has an excellent track record.

So, while they are all different, they all have my trust and faith that they will do what is best for me. And I think that every one of us deserves trustworthy doctors!

Hugs,
CR

Thanks again for all your
Thanks again for all your input. I am sad about his situation, as I really did like my surgeon and I do realize they are human and humans make mistakes. I just cringe when I think about the fact that there may not have been a clean pathology after my lumpectomy. It's easy now to think maybe I should just be grateful that he did do a second check because everything came back ok, but I can't stop thinking about the what if? I don't mean to whine on and on about this, but I do think my decision to change surgeons is necessary for my own peace of mind. Thanks again for all the support.

VickiSam

GayleMc said:

Thanks again for all your
Thanks again for all your input. I am sad about his situation, as I really did like my surgeon and I do realize they are human and humans make mistakes. I just cringe when I think about the fact that there may not have been a clean pathology after my lumpectomy. It's easy now to think maybe I should just be grateful that he did do a second check because everything came back ok, but I can't stop thinking about the what if? I don't mean to whine on and on about this, but I do think my decision to change surgeons is necessary for my own peace of mind. Thanks again for all the support.

Your body, your choice!
I am 100% percent behind you and your decision.

Good for you!

Strength and Courage,

Vicki Sam

jnl

VickiSam said:

Your body, your choice!
I am 100% percent behind you and your decision.

Good for you!

Strength and Courage,

Vicki Sam

I think you made the right
I think you made the right choice too.


Hugs, Leeza