Halsted radical mastectomy

Halsted Radical Mastectomy is a surgical procedure that was once the standard treatment for breast cancer. Named after the American surgeon William Stewart Halsted, who introduced it in the late 19th century, the procedure involves the removal of the entire breast, the pectoral muscles, and all the lymph nodes under the arm.

History

The Halsted radical mastectomy was developed by William Stewart Halsted in the 1880s. Halsted, a pioneer in the field of surgery, believed that the removal of the entire breast and surrounding tissue was the best way to prevent the spread of breast cancer. This approach was based on the belief that breast cancer spread in a slow, orderly, and predictable manner.

Procedure

The Halsted radical mastectomy involves the removal of the entire breast, the pectoral muscles, and all the lymph nodes under the arm. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and can take several hours to complete.

Criticism and Decline

The Halsted radical mastectomy has been criticized for its disfiguring effects and the significant physical and emotional trauma it can cause. In the 1970s, less invasive surgical procedures, such as the lumpectomy and the modified radical mastectomy, began to replace the Halsted radical mastectomy as the standard treatment for breast cancer.

Current Use

Today, the Halsted radical mastectomy is rarely performed. It is usually reserved for cases where the cancer has spread extensively and other treatments are not an option.

See Also

• Breast Cancer
• Mastectomy
• Lumpectomy
• Modified Radical Mastectomy

References

Halsted radical mastectomy Resources
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