Vacuum assisted evacuation of Breast Fibroadenomas

Fibroadenomas (FAs) represent the most common benign breast tumor discovered in 67 to 94% of all breast biopsies in women under the age of 20 and is identified in 10% of all women in their lifetimes.

Fibroadenomas can be removed by open surgery, however it is associated with certain disadvantages like high costs due to the need for anaesthesia and operating room set-up and inadequate cosmesis due to the surgical scar. Vacuum assisted evacuation of breast fibroadenomas is a safe and nonscarring procedure, where the entire fibroadenoma can be removed through a small pin hole (~2mm). The entire procedure can be done under local anaesthesia and as a daycare procedure.

Under Ultrasound guidance, the probe for VAE is placed under the targeted lesion and vacuum is generated, after which slice by slice the entire lesion is removed. Tight compression dressing is given for 24 hours. The patient is kept for observation for about 2 hours. All routine activities can be resumed from the next day onwards.