breast and endocrine surgery
Hello,
I've just finished a week of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, which was a bit quieter than Plastics, but still very interesting. I went to see a few breast lumps being removed (one mystery lump that apparently looked like a hamartoma, which is a benign growth that can occur anywhere but isn't a normal cause of a breast mass; and one phylloides tumour, which is apparently not very common but seems to be the main diagnosis of all the breast patients this week!), and I also went to see some endocrine surgery and helped with the removal of half a thyroid gland. I was able to help a bit with cauterising blood vessels, which I hadn't done before, as well as the usual retractor-holding, and I got a good feel of the anatomy in the neck from the skin right down to the vertebrae.
The breast clinics involve "triple assessment" of the patients. This means that they are examined by a breast surgeon, then move on to a pathologist for a fine needle biopsy of any lumps, and then supposedly see a radiographer for a mammogram (or ultrasound). Unfortunately there weren't any radiographers around this week so I didn't see any mammograms, but I did see a core biopsy (where a little column of tissue is taken out by a special needle) as well as the fine needle aspirations, and the surgeon I was with let me feel all the lumps and bumps. It was also interesting to see how differently patients reacted to very similar circumstances, and the parts of their diagnoses or treatment that concerned them most.
The endocrine clinic was less practical but more varied, with patients presenting with anything from repeated kidney stones, possibly due to abnormal calcium levels from a parathyroid gland tumour, to very obvious neck lumps. The endocrine surgeons are also general surgeons and do things like hernia operations and gall bladder removals too.
Today, like all Fridays, started with an early morning "Grand Round" lecture (by the colorectal surgeons, on rectal prolapse). Normally, Fridays also end with lectures, as part of the year 4 course, but today we had a test instead just to help us see how we're progressing. And this evening I have a double tutorial with my surgical tutor to look forward to! Until then, I'm off to the library!
Bye!
I've just finished a week of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, which was a bit quieter than Plastics, but still very interesting. I went to see a few breast lumps being removed (one mystery lump that apparently looked like a hamartoma, which is a benign growth that can occur anywhere but isn't a normal cause of a breast mass; and one phylloides tumour, which is apparently not very common but seems to be the main diagnosis of all the breast patients this week!), and I also went to see some endocrine surgery and helped with the removal of half a thyroid gland. I was able to help a bit with cauterising blood vessels, which I hadn't done before, as well as the usual retractor-holding, and I got a good feel of the anatomy in the neck from the skin right down to the vertebrae.
The breast clinics involve "triple assessment" of the patients. This means that they are examined by a breast surgeon, then move on to a pathologist for a fine needle biopsy of any lumps, and then supposedly see a radiographer for a mammogram (or ultrasound). Unfortunately there weren't any radiographers around this week so I didn't see any mammograms, but I did see a core biopsy (where a little column of tissue is taken out by a special needle) as well as the fine needle aspirations, and the surgeon I was with let me feel all the lumps and bumps. It was also interesting to see how differently patients reacted to very similar circumstances, and the parts of their diagnoses or treatment that concerned them most.
The endocrine clinic was less practical but more varied, with patients presenting with anything from repeated kidney stones, possibly due to abnormal calcium levels from a parathyroid gland tumour, to very obvious neck lumps. The endocrine surgeons are also general surgeons and do things like hernia operations and gall bladder removals too.
Today, like all Fridays, started with an early morning "Grand Round" lecture (by the colorectal surgeons, on rectal prolapse). Normally, Fridays also end with lectures, as part of the year 4 course, but today we had a test instead just to help us see how we're progressing. And this evening I have a double tutorial with my surgical tutor to look forward to! Until then, I'm off to the library!
Bye!
posted by Jane Davis @ 10:40 AM
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