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New Surgery Avoids Mastectomy

POSTED: 11:24 AM PST December 4, 2003

Denise Lebreux has more than just her hair back. She's also kept her real breast.

But nearly two years ago, in the midst of her cancer, Lebreux didn't think that was possible.

Doctors had suggested a full mastectomy, complete removal of the breast.

They said her tumor was too large for the breast-conserving surgery called lumpectomy, which they predicted would leave a substantial deformity.

Then Lebreux heard about a new reconstruction technique at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Surgeon Neil Fine's operation allows more women to have lumpectomies instead of mastectomies.

He takes a thin layer of the Latissimus muscle from the patient's back, retaining its blood supply.

Then, he rolls the muscle into a ball, slides it into the breast, and fills the hole left by surgery.

It is all done through one incision under the armpit and the patient's back is rarely affected.