This sample is large enough to be cut into thin slices and examined under the microscope. Mammotome A new device may also be used to perform a breast biopsy. The mammotome system is much like a core needle biopsy, but it uses a small rotating cutter and vacuum to remove a larger sample. This leads to a more reliable diagnosis and the need for fewer samples. A surgical biopsy is performed under local or general anesthesia.
Most surgical biopsies are excisional, where the surgeon removes the entire tumor.
It is then sent for examination by a pathologist. The surgical biopsy takes about an hour, and causes minimal post-operative pain that goes away in a few days. The woman can usually begin doing non-strenuous work the day after the biopsy. She will be advised not to lift heavy things for a few weeks. The incision will heal within ten days.