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MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: A breast biopsy usually is performed to determine if an abnormal area or lump in your breast is cancerous. In this procedure, a tissue sample of the area of concern is removed so it can be examined by a pathologist. Breast biopsy may involve one of three main techniques - fine needle aspiration biopsy, core needle biopsy, or surgical biopsy. Your doctor will choose the technique that best fits your situation. During a fine needle aspiration biopsy, your doctor will insert a needle into your breast. Some form of guidance, such as an ultrasound probe, will be used to guide the needle to the correct area. Then, fluid or a small sample of tissue will be removed. A core needle biopsy is done to remove several small pieces of tissue or cores of tissue from the breast. It may be guided using one of several techniques. During a stereotactic core needle biopsy, you will lie face down on a table with your breast inserted through a hole in the table. Your doctor will inject a local anesthetic to numb the area. Then, using a digital mammogram as a guide, your doctor will insert a hollow needle into the area of concern. Several small cylinders of tissue will be removed for examination. During an ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy, your doctor will use an ultrasound probe to locate the area of concern. A hollow needle will be inserted to remove several cores of tissue. Fine needle aspiration and core needle biopsies involve removing small samples of fluid or tissue using a needle. However, if an area of concern detected by mammogram or ultrasound is not accessible by a core needle biopsy, or if your physician wants to remove the entire area, a surgical biopsy may be recommended. A surgical biopsy is done in an operating room using two techniques - excisional biopsy and incisional biopsy. During an excisional biopsy, your surgeon will make an incision in the breast and remove the entire mass. At the end of the procedure, the incision will be closed. Your surgeon will perform an incisional biopsy if only a small part of the area of concern needs to be removed, usually to make a diagnosis. At the end of the procedure, the incision will be closed. If the abnormality cannot be felt, needle localization will be used to mark the location of the area of concern. During this procedure, your radiologist will insert a hook wire into the breast through a needle under mammogram or ultrasound guidance in order to mark the area. The needle will be removed, but the wire will stay in place. You will then go to the operating room, where your surgeon will make an incision in the breast. He or she will follow the wire to locate the targeted area, then remove it. An x-ray will be taken of your breast to make sure the targeted area has been removed. Then, your surgeon will close the incision.
"The Doe Report's Do-It-Yourself Exhibits program enables easy customization
of complex medical exhibits at a reasonable expense and in a timely manner.
Practically speaking, custom medical exhibits are no longer an unthinkable
luxury, but a routine necessity."
Jack S. Cohen
Levy, Angstreich, Finney, Baldante & Coren
Philadelphia, PA
"I wanted to thank you for the terrific job you did illustrating my client's
injuries. The case was settled at the pre-suit mediation, and I believe a
good part of the success we had was due to the medical legal art you
prepared.
Your work received the ultimate compliment at the conclusion of the mediation. The hospital risk manager took the exhibit with them at the
conclusion of mediation, and will be using it to train nurses on how to
prevent bed sores..."
Steven G. Koeppel Troy, Yeslow & Koeppel, P.A. Fort Myers, FL
"I just wanted to let you know that after several days on trial, I settled
[my client's] construction accident case for $4.5 million. Immediately after
the jury was discharged, I spoke with several jurors who told me that they
really appreciated the medical illustrations for their clarity in dealing
with [my client's] devastating injuries. They also expressed their gratitude
in being able to read from a distance all of the notations without
difficulty. Obviously, the boards were visually persuasive. I am certain
that this contributed to our successful result."
Michael Gunzburg, Esq.
Attorney at Law.
New York, NY
"I would like to thank all of you at Medical Legal Art for all the
assistance you provided. It was a result of the excellent, timely work
that we were able to conclude the case successfully.
I feel very confident that our paths will cross again."
Fritz G. Faerber
Faerber & Anderson, P.C.
St. Louis, MO
Medical Legal Art creates medical demonstrative evidence (medical
illustrations, drawings, pictures, graphics, charts, medical animations,
anatomical models, and interactive presentations) for use during legal
proceedings, including research, demand letters, client conferences,
depositions, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, mock jury
trials and for use in the courtroom. We do not provide legal or medical
advice. If you have legal questions, you should find a lawyer with whom you
can discuss your case issues. If you have medical questions, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.
