What is a Breast Aspiration?
A breast aspiration is a simple test that can yield a lot of valuable information as well as relief from breast pain.
A breast aspiration is a test that a doctor performs that drains fluid from a breast mass. They can be used for a few different reasons:
- To give a patient relief from a painful cyst
- To determine if a mass in the breast is fluid-filled or a solid mass
- To obtain fluid from an area of infection to determine which antibiotic will be most effective to heal it
How is it Performed?
It may be done in your doctor’s office or at a specialized breast facility. The doctor may choose to perform breast aspiration with use of ultrasound if the area is not able to be felt.
Before beginning the procedure the doctor will clean off the skin of the breast. A numbing medication is typically given in the area of the mass. Once numb, the doctor will use a needle that is attached to a syringe to pierce through the wall of the mass. Once the needle is within the mass, the doctor will pull back on the syringe. The vacuum in the syringe will cause the contents of this mass to be pulled through the needle and to land in the syringe.
Most patients do not experience a lot of discomfort while having a this exam. The entire procedure usually lasts about 3-5 minutes. You will be able to return to normal daily activities after the aspiration is complete.
Getting Your Results
If the mass is indeed a cyst and was being performed for therapeutic reasons, the results are instant. If this was once a very painful cyst, the patient will experience instant relief.
If this aspiration was used to determine if a breast mass is a cyst or solid, a breast biopsy
may be used if no fluid was able to be pulled out of this area.
If this exam was performed to main more information about an infection, the fluid that was obtained will probably be sent to a lab. It may take a few hours or a few days to get the results. Speak to your doctor to get an estimate on when your results will be ready.
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